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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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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: bore · calf · ruler · bay · key · kid · squash · fan

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bore — to tire
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. squash — to crush
  10. bore — to drill
  11. key — for a lock
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. key — the most important part
  16. kid — to tease
  17. key — in music
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. kid — child
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. squash — the sport
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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