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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 · season · cap · current · rash · bore · bark · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. season — of the year
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bark — to shout
  8. current — of water
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. current — happening now
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bore — to drill
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. cap — of ice
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. rash — a series
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. season — in sport
  20. cap — a hat
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. bore — to tire
  23. current — electric
  24. rash — hasty

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