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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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Word bank
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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 · ground · lean · toast · bark · patient · fine · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to bend
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. ground — crushed
  6. fine — all right
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. fine — high quality
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. toast — bread
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. ground — a position
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ground — the earth
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. lean — to rest against

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