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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bore — to tire
  4. rule — government
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pop — soda
  13. rule — a law
  14. pop — to visit
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. pop — music
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. stock — shares
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. stock — goods

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