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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 120 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bore — to tire
  3. current — of water
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bore — to drill
  6. spell — magic
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bark — to shout
  9. spell — a short time
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — a tool
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. spell — letters
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. current — electric
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. current — happening now

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