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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bass — the fish
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bore — to drill
  7. pop — soda
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. lie — to recline
  10. cue — a hint
  11. pop — to visit
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — the cause
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bore — to tire
  16. stand — to bear
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bass — low music
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. pop — music
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bowl — a football final

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