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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. deal — to handle
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. file — a line of people
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — a series
  7. cue — a signal
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. file — a tool
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. file — a document
  14. cue — for pool
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. bore — to drill
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bore — to tire
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. mine — for digging

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