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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. squash — the sport
  3. cue — for pool
  4. rule — government
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. mark — a trace
  9. rule — a law
  10. saw — the tool
  11. cue — a signal
  12. mug — to rob
  13. cue — a hint
  14. mark — a grade
  15. squash — to crush
  16. mug — a face
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bore — to tire
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bore — to drill
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. dip — to sink

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