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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bear · calf · nail · chip · bore · mine · wake · key

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. wake — a trail
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bear — the animal
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bore — to drill
  13. key — the most important part
  14. mine — for digging
  15. bore — to tire
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. key — for a lock
  20. chip — for betting
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. key — in music
  24. calf — of the leg

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