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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. hand — help
  6. bore — to drill
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. pit — in a race
  12. stand — to bear
  13. hand — in cards
  14. cue — for pool
  15. pit — a hole
  16. cue — a hint
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. rash — a series
  21. rash — hasty
  22. saw — the tool
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bore — to tire

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