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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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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: suit · tear · hide · pound · track · bore · calf · wake

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. tear — to rip
  3. tear — from crying
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bore — to tire
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. track — a song
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. suit — to fit
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pound — a weight
  20. tear — from crying
  21. bore — to drill
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. suit — clothes
  24. track — a path

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