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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. tear — from crying
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. swing — in golf
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bore — to tire
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bore — to drill
  11. mate — to breed
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. mate — a partner
  14. swing — music
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. suit — to fit
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. tear — from crying
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. kick — in football
  22. tear — to rip
  23. suit — in cards
  24. mate — a friend

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