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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: bore · cell · land · band · plane · calf · staff · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  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. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. staff — employees
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. band — a ring
  6. cell — a phone
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. band — a music group
  10. land — ground
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. land — to come down
  13. bore — to drill
  14. staff — employees
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. staff — a stick
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bore — to tire
  20. cell — in biology
  21. land — a country
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. calf — of the leg
  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