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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 116 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: stand · hand · mate · degree · present · calf · deal · bore

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. mate — to breed
  3. present — there
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. hand — help
  6. degree — from a university
  7. bore — to drill
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. present — the time now
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. degree — temperature
  13. deal — to handle
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. mate — a friend
  17. stand — to bear
  18. degree — an amount
  19. bore — to tire
  20. mate — a partner
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. hand — in cards
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. present — a gift

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