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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 120 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.

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: calf · chair · ball · pitcher · bore · bay · straw · object

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. object — to protest
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. object — a thing
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bore — to drill
  11. chair — a leader
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. object — an aim

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