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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. tube — the underground
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — soda
  6. club — for dancing
  7. club — for golf
  8. pop — music
  9. cue — for pool
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bore — to tire
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. club — a group
  16. can — to be able to
  17. cue — a signal
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bore — to drill

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