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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: calf · bear · bore · rock · hand · pop · season · rush

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rock — music
  5. bear — the animal
  6. hand — in cards
  7. bore — to drill
  8. season — in sport
  9. pop — to visit
  10. season — of the year
  11. pop — soda
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. pop — music
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bore — to tire
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. hand — help
  20. rock — a stone
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. bear — to put up with

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