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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bore — to drill
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. court — for sport
  9. stock — goods
  10. bat — the animal
  11. bore — to tire
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. court — of a king
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. rush — hurry
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. stock — shares
  22. court — of law
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. rush — to hurry

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