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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.

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: rock · field · bear · rest · bore · hand · mouse · cue

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. cue — a hint
  3. rest — a break
  4. hand — in cards
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bore — to tire
  14. rest — what's left
  15. cue — a signal
  16. field — a subject
  17. field — farmland
  18. field — for sport
  19. cue — for pool
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. hand — help
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bore — to drill

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