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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bore — to tire
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. saw — the tool
  6. field — for sport
  7. field — farmland
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. can — a tin
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fine — all right
  14. can — a tin
  15. field — a subject
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bore — to drill
  23. can — to be able to
  24. saw — the tool

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