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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. pitch — completely
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bore — to drill
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. capital — money
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. capital — a city
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. pass — a permit

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