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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. bore — to drill
  4. staff — employees
  5. rule — a law
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. degree — from a university
  8. mark — a grade
  9. degree — an amount
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to tire
  14. rule — government
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. kid — child
  17. degree — temperature
  18. staff — employees
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. kid — to tease
  22. staff — a stick
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. coach — a trainer

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