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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: calf · mate · sharp · bore · kick · bulb · saw · ball

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mate — to breed
  4. kick — in football
  5. saw — the tool
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bore — to tire
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. saw — the tool
  11. mate — a partner
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bulb — for light
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. ball — a great time
  17. mate — a friend
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a dance
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bore — to drill
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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