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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 ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. race — the arms race
  5. track — to keep track
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bore — to drill
  9. court — for sport
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. race — humankind
  17. track — a path
  18. bore — to tire
  19. race — a contest
  20. track — a song
  21. court — of a king
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. court — of law
  24. bear — the animal

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