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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bore — to drill
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — a stick
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bore — to tire
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. tube — a container
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. tube — the underground
  17. mine — for digging
  18. rock — music
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. staff — employees
  22. rock — a stone
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. mine — belonging to me

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