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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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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: coach · pop · bore · rock · bowl · present · calf · wind

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. present — there
  5. present — the time now
  6. wind — moving air
  7. present — a gift
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rock — a stone
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rock — music
  18. pop — soda
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bore — to drill
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bowl — a dish

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