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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  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. pound — for dogs
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bore — to drill
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. row — to paddle
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. row — a line
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. field — a subject
  17. field — for sport
  18. field — farmland
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. pound — a weight
  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