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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. cue — a hint
  3. prune — to trim
  4. cue — for pool
  5. spell — letters
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. charge — electricity
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — in control
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to tire
  13. prune — to trim
  14. spell — magic
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. spell — a short time
  18. cue — a signal

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