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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. season — in sport
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. land — to come down
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — to drill
  14. season — of the year
  15. land — ground
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. stand — to bear
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. saw — the tool
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. land — a country

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