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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. board — to get on
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. track — a song
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. board — a committee
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bat — the animal
  19. track — a path
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. degree — an amount
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. track — to keep track
  24. degree — from a university

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