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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: capital · bore · bear · arm · ruler · stem · calf · drill

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bore — to drill
  5. drill — a practice
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. capital — a city
  13. bear — the animal
  14. drill — army training
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. stem — to come from
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bore — to tire
  21. capital — money
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. bear — to put up with

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