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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.

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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: rule · pound · last · face · calf · mark · bore · wound

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. bore — to tire
  4. rule — a law
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. mark — a grade
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. rule — government
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. last — final
  13. pound — a weight
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mark — a trace
  16. last — to go on
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. face — part of the head
  19. face — to point toward
  20. wound — an injury
  21. face — to confront
  22. last — finally
  23. bore — to drill
  24. wound — an injury

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