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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: saw · last · wake · bay · straw · roll · bat · bore

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bat — the animal
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. last — final
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. last — finally
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. saw — the tool
  15. roll — a cake
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. last — to go on
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bore — to tire
  21. roll — a list
  22. bore — to drill
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. wake — before a funeral

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