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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. cue — for pool
  3. chair — a leader
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. craft — a skill
  8. cue — a hint
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bore — to tire
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. cue — a signal
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. craft — boats
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. fan — a supporter

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