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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: drill · pass · track · bark · rule · calf · bore · saw

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a path
  4. drill — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. drill — a practice
  7. rule — government
  8. bore — to drill
  9. saw — the tool
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. drill — army training
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. track — a song
  17. bore — to tire
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bark — to shout
  20. rule — a law
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. pass — a permit
  24. saw — the tool

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