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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. cue — for pool
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. branch — a division
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bore — to drill
  12. cue — a hint
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. mate — a partner
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. dip — to sink
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. cue — a signal
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. mate — to breed

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