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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. season — in sport
  3. bore — to drill
  4. season — of the year
  5. current — happening now
  6. bore — to tire
  7. spell — letters
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. current — of water
  10. chest — a box
  11. bark — to shout
  12. spell — magic
  13. chest — of your body
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. current — electric
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. season — to add flavour
  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