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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — to tire
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. stand — to bear
  7. cue — a signal
  8. dip — to sink
  9. mug — a face
  10. land — to come down
  11. kick — in football
  12. face — to point toward
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. cue — a hint
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. cue — for pool
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. land — a country
  21. mug — to rob
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. land — ground
  24. mug — a cup

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