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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: cap · capital · lash · race · ruler · calf · branch · bore

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. cap — a hat
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. race — the arms race
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. capital — a city
  11. branch — a division
  12. bore — to drill
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bore — to tire
  15. race — a contest
  16. cap — of ice
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. cap — a lid
  22. capital — money
  23. race — humankind
  24. lash — an eyelash

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