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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bat — the animal
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bore — to tire
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bank — of a river
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bank — for money
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. kick — in football
  18. saw — the tool
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. bank — for money

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