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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  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 — gave birth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. fall — to drop
  4. rule — government
  5. bore — to tire
  6. rule — a law
  7. lie — to recline
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. cue — a signal
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wound — an injury
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fall — to drop
  14. wound — an injury
  15. stand — to bear
  16. cue — for pool
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. wake — a trail
  21. fall — the season
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. lie — an untruth
  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