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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.

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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: row · calf · bank · snap · bore · dip · perch · game

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. bore — to drill
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bank — for money
  8. dip — to sink
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. row — a line
  12. game — a match
  13. game — wild animals
  14. bank — of a river
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bore — to tire
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bank — for money
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. row — to paddle
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. perch — the fish

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