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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bound — certain
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. suit — to fit
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bound — obliged
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bound — tied together
  12. pit — a hole
  13. present — a gift
  14. spell — magic
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. spell — letters
  17. stand — to bear
  18. present — there
  19. bore — to drill
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bore — to tire
  22. spell — a short time
  23. present — the time now
  24. suit — clothes

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