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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. drill — a practice
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bore — to tire
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. drill — the tool
  13. season — in sport
  14. suit — in cards
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. kick — in football
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bore — to drill
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. drill — army training
  24. season — of the year

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