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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: ruler · jam · march · object · land · fine · calf · lean

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. land — ground
  3. object — to protest
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. march — the month
  13. march — music
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. object — a thing
  16. land — a country
  17. march — the month
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. fine — all right
  21. object — an aim
  22. land — to come down
  23. fine — high quality
  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