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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 120 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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. pitch — completely
  8. ground — crushed
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bore — to tire
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kick — in football
  22. ball — a dance
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. ground — a position

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