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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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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: lie · calf · ruler · swing · tear · pitch

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. lie — to recline
  4. swing — music
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. swing — to play on
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. tear — to rip
  12. swing — in golf
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. tear — from crying
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pitch — completely
  18. tear — from crying

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