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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: calf · degree · ruler · press · fall · lean · staff · bowl

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. staff — employees
  3. press — a publisher
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. staff — employees
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fall — to drop
  15. lean — thin
  16. degree — temperature
  17. lean — to bend
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. degree — an amount
  20. fall — to drop
  21. press — to push
  22. press — newspapers
  23. degree — from a university
  24. calf — of the leg

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