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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bore — to drill
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pitch — completely
  5. rash — a series
  6. fall — to drop
  7. can — a tin
  8. fall — the season
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bore — to tire
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. cue — for pool
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — of the year
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. wax — to grow
  20. rash — hasty
  21. can — a tin
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. cue — a hint
  24. season — to add flavour

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