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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bore — to tire
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. staff — employees
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. tube — a container
  14. wind — moving air
  15. key — for a lock
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wind — moving air
  20. key — in music
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bore — to drill
  24. staff — employees

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