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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. cue — a hint
  10. staff — employees
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. saw — the tool
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. staff — employees
  15. cue — a signal
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. staff — a stick
  21. bore — to drill
  22. saw — the tool
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. cue — for pool

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