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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: pitcher · stick · pound · net · ruler · bore · calf · mug

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — a weight
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bore — to drill
  7. net — in sport
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mug — a face
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. net — after costs
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mug — to rob
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. net — for catching
  24. calf — a young animal

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