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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bound — obliged
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — soda
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. suit — in cards
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bound — tied together
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bound — certain
  17. bore — to drill
  18. pop — music
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — gave birth

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