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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. drill — army training
  3. kick — in football
  4. suit — clothes
  5. saw — the tool
  6. suit — in cards
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. suit — to fit
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bore — to drill
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. drill — the tool
  14. bank — for money
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bore — to tire
  18. saw — the tool
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bank — for money

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