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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: bore · lash · present · wake · dip · calf · club · plane

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. present — there
  3. club — for golf
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bore — to tire
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. club — a group
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. dip — to sink
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. present — the time now
  17. club — for dancing
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. present — a gift
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. plane — a tool

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