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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. hand — help
  8. bear — the animal
  9. hand — in cards
  10. land — a country
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. staff — a stick
  13. land — to come down
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mate — a friend
  17. staff — employees
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bore — to tire
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. land — ground
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. staff — employees

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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