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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bound — obliged
  8. swing — music
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. tear — to rip
  11. bound — certain
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bound — tied together
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. tear — from crying
  18. swing — to play on
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. tear — from crying
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. arm — part of the body

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