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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. bore — to drill
  3. cue — a hint
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — a safe
  6. saw — the tool
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bore — to tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. degree — an amount
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. tube — a container
  16. rush — hurry
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. cue — for pool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. cue — a signal
  24. degree — temperature

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