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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 · bore · mark · mate · pound · patient · chip · tear

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. chip — to eat
  4. mate — a friend
  5. tear — to rip
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. mark — a trace
  8. tear — from crying
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. mark — a grade
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. pound — a weight
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bore — to drill
  17. mate — to breed
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bore — to tire
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. chip — for betting
  22. tear — from crying
  23. mate — a partner
  24. calf — a young animal

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