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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: fall · bowl · straw · firm · mouse · board · bore · calf

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. firm — decided
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bore — to drill
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. fall — to drop
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — a company
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fall — the season
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bowl — a football final

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