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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  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. bore — to tire
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. saw — the tool
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — an aim
  8. bear — the animal
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bore — to drill
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. deal — to handle
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. scale — in music
  16. object — to protest
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. date — the fruit
  22. scale — size or range
  23. scale — for weighing
  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