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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 116 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
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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 · perch · mug · bore · game · lie · wound · coach

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. perch — the fish
  4. mug — to rob
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bore — to drill
  14. mug — a face
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wound — an injury
  17. game — wild animals
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mug — a cup
  23. game — a match
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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