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

Word bank: bore · scale · squash · deal · snap · cue · rush · spring

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. spring — the season
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. rush — hurry
  8. squash — to crush
  9. cue — a signal
  10. snap — to click
  11. spring — of water
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. bore — to tire
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. cue — a hint
  20. deal — to handle
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. squash — the sport
  24. spring — a coil

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