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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — a signal
  4. firm — decided
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. tube — the underground
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bore — to tire
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. band — a music group
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. firm — steady
  14. cue — for pool
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bore — to drill
  19. band — a ring
  20. firm — a company
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — thin
  23. tube — a container
  24. dip — a sauce

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