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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 120 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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. pop — to visit
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. club — a group
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bore — to tire
  8. pop — soda
  9. club — for dancing
  10. club — for golf
  11. cue — a signal
  12. drill — the tool
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. pop — music
  15. rule — government
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. tube — a container
  18. bore — to drill
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — for pool
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. rule — a law
  24. drill — army training

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