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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: deal · cue · tear · hide · staff · bore

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bore — to tire
  3. deal — to handle
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. cue — a hint
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — from crying
  8. staff — employees
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. tear — to rip
  11. bore — to drill
  12. cue — for pool
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. staff — employees
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. deal — a big deal

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