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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 116 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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. ground — a position
  6. cue — for pool
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ground — the earth
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pitch — completely
  14. cue — a signal
  15. sharp — clever
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. row — to paddle
  18. bore — to drill
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bore — to tire
  23. row — a line
  24. cue — a hint

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