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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bore — to drill
  4. roll — a cake
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — certain
  8. rash — a series
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rash — hasty
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. band — a music group
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bore — to tire
  17. ball — a great time
  18. roll — a list
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. band — a ring

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