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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fan · bear · calf · bore · fine · wave · hand · ruler

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fine — all right
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. fine — high quality
  9. hand — help
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bore — to drill
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. hand — in cards
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bear — to put up with

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