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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: wave · ruler · degree · calf · race · cabinet · safe · wake

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. degree — from a university
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. race — humankind
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. race — the arms race
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wake — a trail
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. race — a contest
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. degree — temperature
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. degree — an amount

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