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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 · season · march · game · lean · snap · calf · bound

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — obliged
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. game — a match
  9. game — wild animals
  10. snap — to click
  11. season — in sport
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. march — the month
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — of the year
  17. lean — to bend
  18. march — music
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. bound — tied together
  23. march — the month
  24. game — a kind of play

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