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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. roll — a cake
  4. bore — to tire
  5. face — to point toward
  6. present — the time now
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. rush — hurry
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. face — to confront
  12. present — there
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. staff — a stick
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. staff — employees
  17. face — part of the head
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. staff — employees
  20. present — a gift
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. roll — a list
  24. calf — a young animal

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