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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.

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: calf · bore · band · ruler · foot · date · lean · wake

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bore — to tire
  4. band — a music group
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. wake — a trail
  7. band — a ring
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. lean — to bend
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. lean — thin
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. bore — to drill
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — the fruit
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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