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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bore — to tire
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bore — to drill
  5. cue — a signal
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. snap — to click
  8. stand — to bear
  9. season — of the year
  10. cue — a hint
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. season — in sport
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. cue — for pool
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — a permit
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. rash — a series
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. rash — hasty
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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