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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. rest — what's left
  6. chip — for betting
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. chip — to eat
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pass — a permit
  12. rest — a break
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bore — to drill
  15. spell — a short time
  16. bore — to tire
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. spell — magic
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. spell — letters
  24. rest — what's left

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