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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pound · pitcher · drill · lie · calf · foot · hand · ruler

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. hand — in cards
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. drill — a practice
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. drill — army training
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. foot — a measure
  12. hand — help
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. drill — the tool
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. ruler — a monarch

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