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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 124 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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. present — a gift
  4. vault — a safe
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. present — the time now
  8. present — there
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. game — wild animals
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bore — to tire
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bore — to drill
  20. game — a match
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. mouse — 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