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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. scale — size or range
  5. bore — to tire
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bass — low music
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. mug — a face
  15. snap — to click
  16. bore — to drill
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bass — the fish
  19. scale — in music
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bass — the instrument

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