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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: pass · deal · calf · leaves · ruler · rock · capital · rule

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. pass — a permit
  10. rule — a law
  11. capital — money
  12. rock — music
  13. rule — government
  14. rock — a stone
  15. deal — to handle
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. capital — a city
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. pass — to spend time

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