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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.

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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: wake · face · bay · calf · racket · bore · ruler · spring

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. face — part of the head
  3. wake — a trail
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. spring — the season
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. face — to point toward
  12. spring — a coil
  13. bore — to drill
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. spring — of water
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bore — to tire
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bay — a horse colour

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