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

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. wind — moving air
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — the time now
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — to tire
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bear — the animal
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. present — there
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wind — moving air

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