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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: game · racket · calf · rock · perch · ruler · rule · lie

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. game — a match
  3. rock — a stone
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. rule — a law
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lie — to recline
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. perch — the fish
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rule — government
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. game — wild animals
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rock — music

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