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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 124 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. ball — a dance
  3. drill — the tool
  4. ball — a great time
  5. date — the fruit
  6. firm — a company
  7. pitch — completely
  8. rule — government
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. drill — army training
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. cue — a signal
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bore — to drill
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bore — to tire
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — for pool
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. rule — a law

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