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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 120 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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. object — a thing
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. object — an aim
  12. game — wild animals
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bore — to tire
  16. current — electric
  17. swing — music
  18. bore — to drill
  19. pound — a weight
  20. current — of water
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. current — happening now
  23. game — a match
  24. calf — a young animal

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