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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to tire
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. board — a committee
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. board — to get on
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bore — to drill
  11. wake — a trail
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bound — certain
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. dip — to sink

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