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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. cue — a hint
  3. mate — to breed
  4. prune — to trim
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. cue — a signal
  7. wound — an injury
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a committee
  10. wound — an injury
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bank — for money
  15. key — the most important part
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. key — in music
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bank — of a river
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bank — for money
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bore — to drill

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