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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: pass · calf · rest · bore · kid · wax · ground · suit

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bore — to tire
  6. rest — a break
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — a position
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. rest — what's left
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. wax — to grow
  18. suit — clothes
  19. rest — what's left
  20. kid — to tease
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bore — to drill
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. ground — the earth

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