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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. pitch — completely
  4. march — the month
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. march — music
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. rush — hurry
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. season — in sport
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bore — to drill
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. march — the month
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — in golf
  24. season — of the year

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