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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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bore — to tire
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bark — to shout
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bore — to drill
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. branch — a division

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