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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. staff — employees
  3. bound — obliged
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bore — to drill
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mark — a trace
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. bound — certain
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. march — the month
  14. bore — to tire
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. cue — a signal
  18. march — music
  19. cue — a hint
  20. march — the month
  21. mark — a grade
  22. staff — a stick
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. staff — employees

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