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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — a hint
  4. present — there
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. suit — clothes
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. track — a song
  11. track — a path
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. present — a gift
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. cue — for pool
  18. deal — to handle
  19. bore — to tire
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. track — to keep track
  23. suit — to fit
  24. present — the time now

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