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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. bore — to drill
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. scale — in music
  11. suit — in cards
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. scale — size or range
  18. pit — in a race
  19. deal — to handle
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bay — a horse colour

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