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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. lean — thin
  3. present — there
  4. mate — a friend
  5. cue — for pool
  6. stand — to bear
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. present — the time now
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mate — a partner
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. present — a gift
  16. mate — to breed
  17. pound — a weight
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bore — to tire
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. lean — to bend

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