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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rash · rule · calf · clip · kick · sharp · ruler · bulb

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. sharp — clever
  6. rash — a series
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rash — hasty
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bulb — for light
  15. clip — a video
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. clip — for paper
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rule — a law
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. kick — in football
  24. clip — to cut

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