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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. march — the month
  3. fall — the season
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. suit — to fit
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bore — to tire
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. march — music
  14. net — after costs
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. fall — to drop
  17. net — for catching
  18. fall — to drop
  19. net — in sport
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. march — the month
  22. suit — clothes
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. toast — bread

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