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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 had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bore — to tire
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. bore — to drill
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. suit — to fit
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. kick — in football
  19. suit — in cards
  20. stand — to bear
  21. cold — not warm
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. suit — clothes

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