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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: calf · tear · bore · scale · pass · race

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — from crying
  4. pass — a permit
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. race — the arms race
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bore — to drill
  9. tear — to rip
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. scale — in music
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. race — humankind
  16. bore — to tire
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. race — a contest

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