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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: calf · rule · scale · patient · ruler · trunk · wind · spring

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rule — a law
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. wind — moving air
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. spring — the season
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. spring — a coil
  15. spring — of water
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. scale — in music
  19. rule — government
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wind — moving air
  22. scale — size or range
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. ruler — a monarch

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