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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. kick — in football
  3. rule — government
  4. key — for a lock
  5. stock — shares
  6. bore — to tire
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. key — the most important part
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. key — in music
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bear — the animal
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bore — to drill
  22. rule — a law
  23. stock — goods
  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