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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: object · bulb · rest · capital · calf · lash · scale · rule

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rule — government
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. bulb — for light
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. object — a thing
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rule — a law
  13. object — an aim
  14. capital — money
  15. rest — a break
  16. scale — size or range
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. rest — what's left
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. object — to protest
  22. scale — in music
  23. capital — a city
  24. rule — to rule out

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