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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. kick — in football
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. saw — the tool
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. saw — the tool
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. bore — to drill
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bore — to tire

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