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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. bore — to tire
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. board — a committee
  6. lean — thin
  7. swing — in golf
  8. sharp — clever
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. present — a gift
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. present — the time now
  16. stand — to bear
  17. swing — music
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. board — to get on
  21. lean — to bend
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bore — to drill

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