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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 116 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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. staff — employees
  3. cue — for pool
  4. current — electric
  5. staff — employees
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bore — to tire
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. net — after costs
  10. game — wild animals
  11. cue — a hint
  12. net — in sport
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. game — a match
  19. net — for catching
  20. staff — a stick
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. deal — to handle

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