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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: bore · scale · lie · bear · squash · wave · calf · cue

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. cue — for pool
  10. squash — the sport
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. scale — size or range
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. cue — a signal
  17. lie — to recline
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. squash — to crush
  21. cue — a hint
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bore — to tire
  24. scale — in music

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