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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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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: pitcher · spring · dip · ruler · craft · bear · saw · calf

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bear — the animal
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. bear — the animal
  13. saw — the tool
  14. spring — of water
  15. spring — a coil
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. craft — boats
  18. saw — the tool
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. spring — the season
  22. dip — to sink
  23. craft — a skill
  24. ruler — for measuring

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