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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 116 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: pop · ruler · fine · fall · calf · rest · chair · board

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. pop — soda
  4. chair — a leader
  5. fine — all right
  6. fall — the season
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fine — high quality
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fall — to drop
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. board — to get on
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. pop — music
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. rest — a break
  24. board — a committee

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