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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. prune — to trim
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — a short time
  6. cue — for pool
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bound — tied together
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. cue — a signal
  11. board — to get on
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. board — a committee
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bound — certain
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. prune — to trim
  20. mark — a trace
  21. cue — a hint
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bore — to tire
  24. spell — magic

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