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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: staff · object · cap · drill · mate · cue · dip · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. object — a thing
  3. cap — a lid
  4. staff — employees
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mate — to breed
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — a hint
  9. object — to protest
  10. cap — a hat
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bore — to drill
  13. cue — for pool
  14. staff — employees
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bore — to tire
  18. dip — to sink
  19. cap — of ice
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. staff — a stick
  22. mate — a partner
  23. object — an aim
  24. drill — a practice

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