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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. tube — a container
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bore — to drill
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. bore — to tire
  17. cue — for pool
  18. tube — the underground
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. cue — a hint

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