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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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. cue — a signal
  4. bore — to tire
  5. drill — the tool
  6. rest — what's left
  7. drill — a practice
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. cue — a hint
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. rest — a break
  17. drill — army training
  18. plane — a tool
  19. wake — a trail
  20. rest — what's left
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bore — gave birth

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