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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: fine · calf · ruler · racket · lash · mouse · cold · club

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. club — a group
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. club — for golf
  17. cold — not warm
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cold — an illness
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. fine — all right
  24. club — for dancing

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