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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bank — for money
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bank — of a river
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. degree — temperature
  12. club — for dancing
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bank — for money
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. club — for golf
  19. degree — an amount
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. club — a group
  23. degree — from a university
  24. bear — to put up with

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