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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. mate — a friend
  5. rush — hurry
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wake — a trail
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. hand — help
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bulb — for light
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mate — a partner
  15. hand — in cards
  16. bore — to drill
  17. mate — to breed
  18. fine — high quality
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. wake — before a funeral

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