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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 124 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: net · calf · land · band · kick · charge · bore · rash

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. band — a music group
  4. net — in sport
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — for catching
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — in control
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. charge — electricity
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. land — ground
  15. kick — in football
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bore — to tire
  20. band — a ring
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. land — a country
  23. rash — a series
  24. land — to come down

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