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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: squash · hide · arm · bore · ruler · row · calf · kid

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. kid — to tease
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bore — to tire
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. row — to paddle
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. squash — to crush
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bore — to drill
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. kid — child
  23. row — a line
  24. arm — part of the body

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