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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.

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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 · ball · cap · fork · wind · calf · bound · staff

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ball — a dance
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — tied together
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. wind — moving air
  11. cap — a lid
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. fork — in a road
  15. staff — a stick
  16. staff — employees
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. staff — employees
  19. bound — certain
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. ball — a great time
  24. wind — moving air

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