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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: calf · bore · lie · roll · saw · band · date · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. date — the fruit
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. roll — a cake
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. band — a music group
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bore — to tire
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. band — a ring
  22. saw — the tool
  23. roll — a list
  24. calf — a young animal

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