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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. rock — music
  4. season — in sport
  5. mark — a grade
  6. wake — a trail
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bore — to tire
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bore — to drill
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. season — of the year
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. straw — dry grass

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