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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 120 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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. cue — a signal
  5. pop — to visit
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pop — soda
  8. charge — a price
  9. spell — a short time
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. spell — magic
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to tire
  15. cue — a hint
  16. spell — letters
  17. key — for a lock
  18. dip — to sink
  19. charge — in control
  20. pop — music
  21. cue — for pool
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — a weight
  24. key — in music

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