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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 120 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 · arm · object · mate · bore · bowl · root · wave

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. mate — to breed
  8. root — of a word
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. object — to protest
  11. bore — to tire
  12. root — of a plant
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. root — the cause
  16. mate — a partner
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to drill
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. object — a thing
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mate — a friend

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