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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
468
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 · straw · shower · stand · bound · bore · pit · key

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bound — tied together
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bound — obliged
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bore — to tire
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. key — for a lock
  11. pit — in a race
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. bound — certain
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. key — the most important part
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. key — in music
  20. pit — a hole
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bore — to drill
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bore — gave birth

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