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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. pop — to visit
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. drill — army training
  6. wake — a trail
  7. drill — the tool
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. bore — to tire
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. pop — soda
  14. pop — music
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. fine — high quality
  18. board — a committee
  19. fine — all right
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bore — to drill
  23. branch — a division
  24. board — to get on

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