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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. spring — the season
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. chip — for betting
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mark — a trace
  13. chip — to eat
  14. rock — music
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bore — to tire
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. mark — a grade
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. spring — a coil
  21. bore — to drill
  22. spring — of water
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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