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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.

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: row · tear · calf · pitcher · leaves · mug · rash · deal

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — from crying
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rash — a series
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mug — a cup
  17. row — to paddle
  18. row — a line
  19. deal — to handle
  20. mug — a face
  21. tear — to rip
  22. rash — hasty
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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