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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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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: pit · calf · hide · bear · board · race · bore · nail

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pit — in a race
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pit — a hole
  8. race — humankind
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. board — a committee
  13. race — the arms race
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bore — to tire
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. race — a contest
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bore — to drill
  21. board — to get on
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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