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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · calf · row · bark · charge · clip · ruler · squash

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. row — to paddle
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. clip — for paper
  12. clip — to cut
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. squash — the sport
  15. clip — a video
  16. can — a tin
  17. bark — to shout
  18. row — a line
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. charge — a price
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. charge — in control
  23. squash — to crush
  24. ruler — for measuring

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