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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 120 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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. cue — a hint
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. fine — all right
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bore — to drill
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bore — to tire
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rush — hurry
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. fine — high quality
  15. suit — to fit
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rash — a series
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. suit — in cards
  21. cue — for pool
  22. wind — moving air
  23. cue — a signal
  24. wind — moving air

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