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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 120 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 · staff · net · rock · race · leaves · ruler · rush

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. net — after costs
  11. staff — employees
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. staff — employees
  14. rock — music
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. net — for catching
  17. staff — a stick
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. rock — a stone
  20. race — humankind
  21. race — the arms race
  22. race — a contest
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rush — hurry

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