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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: cell · cap · calf · ruler · track · bore

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. cell — in biology
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. cell — a phone
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cap — a hat
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bore — to tire
  11. track — a path
  12. bore — to drill
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cap — of ice
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cap — a lid

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