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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. kid — child
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bank — for money
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. rush — hurry
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bore — to drill
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. kid — to tease

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