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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cap — of ice
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bore — to tire
  7. firm — steady
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to drill
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. cap — a lid
  13. firm — decided
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. firm — a company
  16. spell — magic
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. saw — the tool
  20. plane — a tool
  21. spell — letters
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. spell — a short time
  24. cap — a hat

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