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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. saw — the tool
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. staff — employees
  5. bark — to shout
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bass — the fish
  8. staff — employees
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. cue — a signal
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bass — low music
  15. cue — for pool
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. staff — a stick
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. cue — a hint

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