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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. face — to confront
  5. pit — in a race
  6. face — part of the head
  7. chip — to eat
  8. pop — music
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. pit — a hole
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bore — to tire
  13. chip — for betting
  14. pop — to visit
  15. roll — a list
  16. pop — soda
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. cue — a signal
  19. face — to point toward
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. roll — a cake
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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