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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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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 · last · cap · patient · bank · calf · rock · trunk

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. rock — a stone
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bank — of a river
  8. cap — a hat
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. last — final
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bank — for money
  13. rock — music
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bank — for money
  21. last — finally
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. calf — a young animal

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