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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: bay · nail · pass · tear · cue · stick · bore · club

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. tear — from crying
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cue — for pool
  7. tear — to rip
  8. bore — to tire
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. club — for golf
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bore — to drill
  20. club — a group
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. cue — a signal

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