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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: content · object · lash · scale · kid · calf · ruler · bore

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. kid — to tease
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. object — an aim
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. bore — to tire
  8. object — to protest
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. content — the amount
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. scale — size or range
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. content — happy
  15. bore — to drill
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. kid — child
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. object — a thing

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