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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  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. bore — to tire
  2. present — the time now
  3. lie — to recline
  4. present — there
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. clip — for paper
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. clip — a video
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bulb — for light
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. present — a gift
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. clip — to cut
  23. bulb — for light
  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