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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bore — to drill
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. ball — a dance
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bore — to tire
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wind — moving air
  17. ball — a great time
  18. wind — moving air
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. chair — a leader

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