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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 120 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  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. key — for a lock
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. suit — to fit
  6. drill — a practice
  7. suit — in cards
  8. drill — the tool
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. suit — clothes
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. bore — to tire
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. drill — army training
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. key — in music
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. key — the most important part
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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