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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. row — to paddle
  3. key — for a lock
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. row — a line
  6. branch — a division
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. key — in music
  11. bore — to tire
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — to bear
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. mug — to rob
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. bore — to drill
  21. key — the most important part
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. mug — a face

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