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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. game — a match
  3. squash — the sport
  4. cue — for pool
  5. craft — a skill
  6. game — wild animals
  7. bore — to drill
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bore — to tire
  15. date — the fruit
  16. last — final
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. cue — a hint
  19. last — to go on
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — a law
  22. cue — a signal
  23. last — finally
  24. date — on the calendar

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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