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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: game · pit · pop · calf · bear · bay · bat · ruler

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bear — the animal
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — a match
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bat — the animal
  13. game — wild animals
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. pop — music
  16. bear — the animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pop — to visit
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pop — soda

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