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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. cue — a hint
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. mate — to breed
  9. cue — for pool
  10. pop — music
  11. mate — a partner
  12. drill — the tool
  13. bore — to drill
  14. drill — a practice
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bear — the animal
  18. cue — a signal
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. drill — army training
  22. mate — a friend
  23. pop — to visit
  24. fork — in a road

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