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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: bore · lash · bound · tear · calf · arm · toast · pitcher

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. toast — bread
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bound — tied together
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bore — to drill
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. tear — from crying
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — obliged
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bore — to tire
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — to rip
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. pitcher — a jug

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