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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. mate — to breed
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. lie — to recline
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. mate — a partner
  13. bore — to drill
  14. pitch — completely
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. mate — a friend
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bore — to tire
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. wax — to grow

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