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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. perch — the fish
  5. mate — to breed
  6. bore — to tire
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. degree — an amount
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. plane — a tool
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. suit — to fit
  16. degree — from a university
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bore — to drill
  23. degree — temperature
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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