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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: game · cap · pound · pop · calf · hide · bore · ruler

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cap — of ice
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. cap — a lid
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bore — to drill
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. pop — soda
  15. game — a match
  16. cap — a hat
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pop — music
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bore — to tire
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pop — to visit
  24. game — wild animals

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