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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. fork — in a road
  4. firm — a company
  5. pop — soda
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — steady
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. press — newspapers
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pop — music
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wound — an injury
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. press — to push
  20. pop — to visit
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. press — a publisher
  24. fork — a garden tool

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