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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. pound — a weight
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. kick — in football
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bore — to drill
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. craft — boats
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bore — to tire
  23. craft — a skill
  24. hide — to keep secret

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