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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fall — to drop
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bore — to tire
  6. net — in sport
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. net — after costs
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. fall — the season
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bore — to drill
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. current — electric
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. net — for catching
  22. current — happening now
  23. mark — a trace
  24. current — of water

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