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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. cold — not warm
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. can — a tin
  9. pitch — completely
  10. kick — in football
  11. bore — to drill
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. cue — a hint
  14. board — a committee
  15. cue — for pool
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to sink
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cold — an illness
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. board — to get on
  22. bore — to tire
  23. can — to be able to
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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