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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. cold — not warm
  3. bore — to tire
  4. object — to protest
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. cold — an illness
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. object — an aim
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bore — to drill
  20. object — a thing
  21. charge — in control
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bear — the 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