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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  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. bore — to drill
  2. cue — a hint
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. track — a path
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. net — in sport
  8. track — to keep track
  9. scale — in music
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. cue — a signal
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. chair — a leader
  15. track — a song
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. net — after costs
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bore — to tire
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. net — for catching
  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