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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: roll · pop · calf · pitcher · mate · ruler · hide · land

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pop — music
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pop — soda
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. roll — a list
  7. roll — a cake
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pop — to visit
  13. land — a country
  14. land — ground
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mate — a friend
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mate — a partner
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. land — to come down

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