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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. cue — a signal
  3. ground — crushed
  4. clip — to cut
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mug — a face
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. can — a tin
  9. bore — to drill
  10. clip — a video
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. can — a tin
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. mug — a cup
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. clip — for paper
  20. ground — a position
  21. cue — a hint
  22. ground — the earth
  23. can — to be able to
  24. cue — for pool

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