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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: can · saw · pop · calf · kid · scale · drill · tear

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. drill — a practice
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tear — to rip
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. pop — to visit
  8. scale — size or range
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. can — a tin
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pop — music
  13. drill — army training
  14. drill — the tool
  15. pop — soda
  16. tear — from crying
  17. can — a tin
  18. scale — in music
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. kid — to tease
  21. saw — the tool
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. kid — child
  24. can — to be able to

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