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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wax — to grow
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bore — to drill
  7. spring — the season
  8. spring — a coil
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. suit — clothes
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. band — a music group
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bore — to tire
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. spring — of water
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. band — a ring
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bore — gave birth

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