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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: staff · bear · calf · sharp · bore · march · roll · toast

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. toast — bread
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bore — to tire
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. roll — a cake
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bore — to drill
  13. march — the month
  14. staff — employees
  15. march — music
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. staff — employees
  18. march — the month
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. staff — a stick
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. roll — on a roll
  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