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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.

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: bore · mouse · field · stand · calf · roll · wake · racket

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. field — a subject
  6. field — farmland
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. roll — a cake
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bore — to tire
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. roll — a list
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. wake — a trail
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bore — to drill
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. mouse — the animal

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