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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. key — the most important part
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. key — in music
  10. net — after costs
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — to get on
  13. key — for a lock
  14. net — in sport
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pit — in a race
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. pit — a hole
  21. net — for catching
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bore — to drill
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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