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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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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. swing — to play on
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. swing — music
  24. pitcher — a jug

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