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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. current — happening now
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. court — of law
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. current — of water
  14. current — electric
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. chair — a leader
  17. court — for sport
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. stand — to bear
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bore — to drill
  23. court — of a king
  24. straw — dry grass

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