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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: cue · bore · temple · snap · suit · arm · stand · sharp

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. cue — a hint
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. cue — a signal
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — clever
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. suit — clothes
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bore — to tire
  22. snap — to click
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. arm — a part of something

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