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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.

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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: plane · bore · deal · cue · race · club · rest · present

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cue — for pool
  6. club — for dancing
  7. race — a contest
  8. cue — a signal
  9. present — the time now
  10. plane — a tool
  11. rest — what's left
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bore — to drill
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. race — humankind
  17. present — a gift
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. club — a group
  20. cue — a hint
  21. present — there
  22. club — for golf
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — in geometry

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