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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: deal · sharp · calf · lash · mate · bore · game · bay

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. mate — a friend
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bore — to drill
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. mate — to breed
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. sharp — clever
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. game — a match
  23. deal — to handle
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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