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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. cold — an illness
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. kick — in football
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bore — to tire
  15. cold — not warm
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cap — of ice
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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