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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: stand · bear · calf · bat · net · bore · lash · craft

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bore — to drill
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bore — to tire
  6. net — after costs
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. net — in sport
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bear — the animal
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. craft — boats
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. craft — a skill
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. net — for catching

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