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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 116 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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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: cold · kick · bore · calf · cue · shower · pitch · ruler

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. shower — to wash
  5. bore — to tire
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. cue — a signal
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. cold — an illness
  14. cold — not warm
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. kick — in football
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. shower — rain
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bore — to drill

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