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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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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: rock · ruler · fine · bowl · mark · calf · race · ground

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a grade
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. fine — high quality
  6. race — a contest
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ground — crushed
  9. race — the arms race
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mark — a trace
  15. ground — a position
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fine — all right
  18. ground — the earth
  19. rock — a stone
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. rock — music
  22. race — humankind
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. fine — a penalty

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