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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: pitcher · tear · kick · object · date · ruler

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. tear — from crying
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. object — a thing
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. kick — in football
  11. tear — from crying
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — to protest
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. date — the fruit
  18. tear — to rip

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