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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: deal · rest · track · dip · bark · ruler · pitcher · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  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. dip — to dunk
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. track — a song
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. deal — to handle
  22. track — a path
  23. dip — to sink
  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