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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. hand — help
  3. cue — a signal
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bore — to drill
  7. can — a tin
  8. snap — to click
  9. present — a gift
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to tire
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. can — to be able to
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. present — there
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. present — the time now
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bound — certain
  23. can — a tin
  24. cue — for pool

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