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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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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: perch · track · calf · pass · pitcher · ruler · chair · bay

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. track — to keep track
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. chair — a leader
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. track — a path
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. perch — the fish
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. track — a song
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. perch — for a bird

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