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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. scale — in music
  4. bound — certain
  5. bore — to drill
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. tear — from crying
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. roll — a cake
  12. bound — obliged
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. scale — size or range
  16. tear — from crying
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. bound — tied together
  19. roll — a list
  20. mark — a grade
  21. tear — to rip
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bore — to tire

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