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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 120 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. key — in music
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. staff — employees
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — to trim
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. key — the most important part
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. perch — the fish
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. staff — a stick
  21. key — for a lock
  22. staff — employees
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. leaves — to go away

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