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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: saw · hide · arm · bowl · calf · race · bore · mouse

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  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. mouse — for a computer
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. race — humankind
  6. race — the arms race
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bore — to drill
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. race — a contest
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bore — to tire
  23. arm — a part of something
  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