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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bore — to drill
  3. cue — for pool
  4. board — to get on
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. swing — in golf
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. board — a committee
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. cue — a signal
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. wind — moving air
  17. swing — to play on
  18. wind — moving air
  19. pound — a weight
  20. swing — music
  21. bore — to tire
  22. cue — a hint
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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