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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.

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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: pop · calf · pitcher · bore · arm · rush · bay · perch

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rush — hurry
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bore — to tire
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bore — to drill
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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