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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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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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. season — of the year
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. season — in sport
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. wax — to grow
  8. net — for catching
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. march — music
  12. net — after costs
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. net — in sport
  16. bore — to drill
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. march — the month
  19. bore — to tire
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. march — the month
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wax — for sculpting

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