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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bore — to tire
  4. roll — a list
  5. scale — in music
  6. bore — to drill
  7. roll — a cake
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. scale — size or range
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bat — the animal
  20. firm — decided
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. firm — steady
  23. cue — a hint
  24. firm — a company

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