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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 120 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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. mark — a grade
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. file — a document
  8. bore — to drill
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. season — in sport
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. file — a tool
  20. mark — a trace
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. chair — a leader
  24. nail — on a finger

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