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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 116 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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. charge — a price
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bore — to drill
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a great time
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bore — to tire
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. wind — moving air
  22. fork — in a road
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. wind — moving air

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