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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. cue — a signal
  3. suit — to fit
  4. fork — in a road
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. suit — clothes
  8. cue — for pool
  9. craft — boats
  10. snap — to click
  11. craft — a skill
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. cue — a hint
  14. chair — a leader
  15. bore — to tire
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — a safe
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. fork — to eat with

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