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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 116 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: ruler · present · can · snap · calf · bear · wind · face

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. present — there
  3. can — a tin
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. can — a tin
  6. bear — the animal
  7. present — a gift
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. snap — to click
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. face — to confront
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to point toward
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. present — the time now
  24. can — to be able to

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