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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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. mouse — for a computer
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bore — to tire
  7. perch — the fish
  8. ground — the earth
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. ground — a position
  11. net — in sport
  12. court — of law
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. court — for sport
  15. net — after costs
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. court — of a king
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. ground — crushed
  23. net — for catching
  24. mouse — the 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