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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: net · drill · tear · cue · bore · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. tear — to rip
  3. tear — from crying
  4. cue — for pool
  5. net — for catching
  6. drill — army training
  7. net — after costs
  8. drill — the tool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. tear — from crying
  13. cue — a signal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bore — to tire
  16. drill — a practice
  17. net — in sport
  18. bore — to drill

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