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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: bore · calf · wave · band · suit · trunk · bay · rash

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a ring
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. bore — to drill
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. bore — to tire
  18. rash — a series
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rash — hasty
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. suit — in cards

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