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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. craft — a skill
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. drill — a practice
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. cue — a hint
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — a container
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. cue — for pool
  15. craft — boats
  16. pop — to visit
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bore — to drill
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pass — a permit
  21. tube — the underground
  22. pop — soda
  23. drill — army training
  24. craft — a handicraft

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