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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. mate — a friend
  5. wake — a trail
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. rest — a break
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mate — a partner
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bore — to drill
  18. lie — to recline
  19. branch — a division
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mate — to breed
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. calf — a young animal

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