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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bore — to tire
  4. mug — a face
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. date — the fruit
  8. kick — in football
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bore — to drill
  14. hand — help
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. mug — to rob
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. ruler — for measuring

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