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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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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: calf · ground · ruler · pit · foot · straw · pitcher · bay

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pit — a hole
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. pit — in a race
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. ground — a position
  15. foot — a measure
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. ground — the earth
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ground — crushed
  24. straw — dry grass

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