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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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bore — to tire
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. club — a group
  7. pass — a permit
  8. club — for golf
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. bore — to drill
  11. roll — a cake
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — to crush
  14. roll — a list
  15. pitch — completely
  16. dip — to sink
  17. squash — the sport
  18. club — for dancing
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — a safe
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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