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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  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. mug — a cup
  2. mug — to rob
  3. cue — a hint
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bore — to drill
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. face — to confront
  9. face — to point toward
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. bore — to tire
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. snap — to click
  19. mug — a face
  20. face — part of the head
  21. cue — a signal
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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