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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 120 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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. bore — to drill
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. suit — to fit
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — in sport
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. scale — size or range
  12. stock — goods
  13. suit — clothes
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — certain
  17. suit — in cards
  18. scale — in music
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. bore — to tire
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. stock — shares
  24. fan — a supporter

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