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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. pop — music
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bore — to tire
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. game — a match
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. club — for dancing
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. club — a group
  14. foot — a measure
  15. game — wild animals
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — soda
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. stand — to bear
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. club — for golf
  24. game — a kind of play

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