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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 124 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. cap — of ice
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bore — to drill
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. cap — a lid
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cap — a hat
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. suit — in cards
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. suit — to fit
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. trunk — of a tree

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