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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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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: ruler · mug · nail · bat · calf · rock · pop · mouse

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. mug — a face
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bat — the animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. pop — to visit
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. pop — soda
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. rock — a stone
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rock — music
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a cup
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pop — music

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