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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.

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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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bore — to tire
  4. spell — a short time
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. march — the month
  8. cue — a signal
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. march — music
  16. spell — magic
  17. can — a tin
  18. march — the month
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bore — to drill
  21. spell — letters
  22. toast — bread
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. cue — for pool

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