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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.

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: wound · calf · wave · bear · last · rash · rock · bore

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. rash — a series
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rock — a stone
  6. last — final
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bore — to tire
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rock — music
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. last — finally
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to drill
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wave — of the sea

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