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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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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: fan · cue · bore · nail · kid · fine · hide · can

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — a hint
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fine — all right
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. cue — for pool
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. kid — child
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. can — a tin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. kid — to tease
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bore — to tire
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. fine — high quality

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