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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: calf · pitcher · bore · ruler · wind · suit · bark · dip

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. dip — to sink
  7. suit — clothes
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. suit — in cards
  10. wind — moving air
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bore — to drill
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. wind — moving air
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bore — to tire

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