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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bore — to tire
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mark — a grade
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. tube — the underground
  13. saw — the tool
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bore — to drill
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. squash — to crush
  20. tube — a container
  21. squash — the sport
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. squash — the vegetable

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