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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: calf · row · spell · tube · jam · ground · deal · bore

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  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. deal — an agreement
  2. row — to paddle
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. ground — the earth
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. tube — a container
  12. ground — a position
  13. bore — to drill
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. spell — letters
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. spell — a short time
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bore — to tire
  20. spell — magic
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. row — a line
  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