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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 116 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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bore — to drill
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. wound — an injury
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. tube — a container
  10. wound — an injury
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. stand — to bear
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. staff — employees
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bore — to tire
  24. stand — for spectators

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