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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: bear · coach · calf · chair · capital · pass · squash · bore

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bore — to tire
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. capital — money
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bore — to drill
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. chair — a leader
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. capital — a city
  21. squash — to crush
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bear — the 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