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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bound — obliged
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. file — a document
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. mate — a partner
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bore — to tire
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a committee
  13. last — final
  14. file — a line of people
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bore — to drill
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bound — tied together
  20. last — finally
  21. last — to go on
  22. file — a tool
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bound — certain

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