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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: spell · pitcher · bore · bear · calf · ball · chair · cell

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. spell — magic
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cell — a phone
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. spell — a short time
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. ball — a dance
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. ball — a great time
  15. cell — in biology
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bore — to tire
  21. spell — letters
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bore — to drill
  24. chair — a leader

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