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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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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: present · lie · calf · fan · spell · kid · ruler · court

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  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. court — of a king
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. present — there
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — magic
  9. court — of law
  10. court — for sport
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. present — a gift
  15. kid — child
  16. spell — letters
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. present — the time now
  19. lie — to recline
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. kid — to tease
  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