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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bore — to drill
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — of the year
  6. stand — to bear
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. row — a line
  12. bear — the animal
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. row — to paddle
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bear — the animal
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bore — to tire

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