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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: saw · hand · scale · staff · bore · content · ruler · calf

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — in music
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bore — to drill
  6. content — the amount
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. hand — in cards
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. staff — employees
  13. bore — to tire
  14. saw — the tool
  15. content — happy
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. staff — a stick
  18. hand — help
  19. saw — the tool
  20. staff — employees
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. hand — 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