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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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Word bank
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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: net · last · board · date · bulb · calf · bore · hide

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. board — to get on
  5. date — the fruit
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bore — to tire
  8. last — finally
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — in sport
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. board — a committee
  13. bore — to drill
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. last — final
  20. net — for catching
  21. last — to go on
  22. bulb — for light
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. hide — to keep secret

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