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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. mug — a cup
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bore — to tire
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. mug — to rob
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. march — the month
  16. mug — a face
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. march — music
  21. march — the month
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. rest — a break
  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