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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: staff · scale · fan · date · calf · ruler · lie · bark

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bark — to shout
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. scale — size or range
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. staff — employees
  9. scale — in music
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. lie — to recline
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — the fruit
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. staff — a stick
  23. staff — employees
  24. fan — a supporter

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