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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. spell — magic
  6. spell — letters
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bore — to drill
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. saw — the tool
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cue — a signal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cue — for pool
  17. shower — to wash
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bore — to tire
  20. spell — a short time
  21. shower — rain
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rush — to hurry

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