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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bore — to tire
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. charge — electricity
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. staff — employees
  8. bore — to drill
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. staff — employees
  13. pitch — completely
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. rush — hurry
  18. game — wild animals
  19. charge — a price
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. charge — in control
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. game — a match
  24. straw — dry grass

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