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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. kick — in football
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. wake — a trail
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. fall — to drop
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. court — of a king
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. board — a committee
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fall — to drop
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. fall — the season
  20. board — to get on
  21. bore — to tire
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of law
  24. kick — a thrill

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