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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: charge · arm · land · bowl · rock · bore · tube · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. charge — electricity
  3. land — to come down
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. tube — a container
  6. rock — music
  7. bore — to drill
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bore — to tire
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. land — ground
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. charge — in control
  14. tube — the underground
  15. rock — a stone
  16. land — a country
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. charge — a price
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bowl — to roll

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