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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  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. bore — gave birth
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rule — a law
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pitch — completely
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. cue — a hint
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pound — a weight
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. bore — to drill
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cue — for pool
  20. staff — employees
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. ball — a great time
  23. rule — government
  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