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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: mark · rash · row · degree · bore · calf · club · lie

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. club — a group
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bore — to drill
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. row — a line
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. mark — a grade
  10. rash — a series
  11. degree — temperature
  12. bore — to tire
  13. club — for dancing
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. degree — from a university
  17. mark — a trace
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. lie — to recline
  20. degree — an amount
  21. club — for golf
  22. row — to paddle
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rash — hasty

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