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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bank — of a river
  8. key — in music
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. pit — in a race
  11. row — a line
  12. key — for a lock
  13. row — to paddle
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bank — for money
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bank — for money
  24. bore — to tire

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