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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 116 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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. rash — a series
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. rash — hasty
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bore — to tire
  9. cue — for pool
  10. hand — in cards
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bore — to drill
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. hand — help
  16. cue — a signal
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. cue — a hint

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