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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bore — to tire
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. roll — a cake
  9. bore — to drill
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. row — a line
  14. current — happening now
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. drill — army training
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. current — of water
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. current — electric
  21. drill — the tool
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. drill — a practice
  24. row — a quarrel

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