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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 ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — to bear
  5. hand — in cards
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. kick — in football
  12. hand — help
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bulb — for light
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. patient — a sick person

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