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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bore — to drill
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. present — a gift
  7. rule — a law
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — there
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bore — to tire
  13. rule — government
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — a professorship

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