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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · bore · net · current · stand · row · stick · straw

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bore — to tire
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. saw — the tool
  6. row — a line
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. net — after costs
  9. row — to paddle
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. current — happening now
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. current — electric
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. current — of water
  19. net — in sport
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stand — to bear

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