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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. track — a path
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bore — to drill
  6. present — there
  7. pass — a permit
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. track — to keep track
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. present — the time now
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bore — to tire
  21. present — a gift
  22. track — a song
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. foot — a measure

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