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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  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. row — a line
  2. row — to paddle
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a great time
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. branch — a division
  12. ball — a dance
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. snap — to click
  21. bore — to tire
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bore — to drill
  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