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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 120 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: land · rash · kick · branch · ruler · calf · cap · mark

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. cap — a lid
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. cap — of ice
  5. kick — in football
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. mark — a grade
  9. rash — a series
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — a division
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. cap — a hat
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. rash — hasty
  18. land — a country
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. land — ground
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mark — a trace
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. land — to come down

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