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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: calf · bank · content · ruler · prune · pass · kick · mark

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bank — of a river
  5. pass — a permit
  6. mark — a trace
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. kick — in football
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. content — the amount
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. prune — to trim
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. prune — to trim
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bank — for money
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. content — happy
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bank — for money

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com