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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. band — a ring
  4. object — to protest
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. object — a thing
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. band — a music group
  10. last — final
  11. object — an aim
  12. chip — to eat
  13. pitch — completely
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. stand — to bear
  16. last — finally
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. last — to go on
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to tire
  24. stand — on your feet

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