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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — a position
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. season — of the year
  10. row — a line
  11. bank — for money
  12. tear — from crying
  13. bank — of a river
  14. season — in sport
  15. bank — for money
  16. row — to paddle
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bore — to drill
  19. ground — crushed
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. tear — to rip
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. bore — to tire

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