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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: game · root · bore · mouse · calf · fall · straw · wax

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. bore — to drill
  3. root — of a plant
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. fall — to drop
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. game — a match
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. fall — the season
  16. bore — to tire
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — the cause
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. wax — to grow
  24. mouse — the 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