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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. hand — help
  5. ball — a dance
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bore — to drill
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. hand — in cards
  11. staff — a stick
  12. rash — a series
  13. bore — to tire
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. suit — to fit
  18. staff — employees
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. rash — hasty
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. staff — employees
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. ball — a great time

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