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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bore — to tire
  4. board — to get on
  5. pop — to visit
  6. board — a committee
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ground — the earth
  11. pop — music
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. object — to protest
  14. bore — to drill
  15. object — a thing
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. object — an aim
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. season — of the year
  20. pop — soda
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. ground — a position

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