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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: calf · bank · drill · stick · key · hide · bore · wave

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bore — to drill
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. key — the most important part
  8. drill — army training
  9. bank — for money
  10. drill — the tool
  11. key — for a lock
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. drill — a practice
  18. key — in music
  19. bore — to tire
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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