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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. rule — government
  3. cue — for pool
  4. pop — soda
  5. ground — crushed
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. content — the amount
  9. pop — music
  10. ground — a position
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pop — to visit
  13. cue — a hint
  14. game — a match
  15. ground — the earth
  16. rule — a law
  17. bore — to tire
  18. content — happy
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rock — music
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. game — wild animals
  24. cue — a signal

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