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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bore — to drill
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. lean — thin
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bound — obliged
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stem — to come from
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bound — certain
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. snap — to click
  20. lean — to bend
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bore — to tire
  24. calf — a young 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