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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rest · straw · chip · bore · fine · suit · last · march

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. suit — in cards
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. march — the month
  6. bore — to drill
  7. last — to go on
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. last — finally
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fine — high quality
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bore — to tire
  14. march — the month
  15. fine — all right
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rest — what's left
  18. march — music
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. suit — clothes
  21. rest — a break
  22. suit — to fit
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. last — final

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