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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bore — to drill
  3. land — ground
  4. bore — to tire
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. lean — thin
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. land — to come down
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. lean — to bend
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. land — a country
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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