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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. bore — to tire
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. bore — to drill
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. date — the fruit
  15. toast — bread
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — for pool
  24. fan — to cool the air

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