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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
468
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: cue · bass · fan · stick · foot · row · date · bore

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. row — to paddle
  5. row — a line
  6. cue — a hint
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — low music
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. cue — for pool
  14. date — the fruit
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bore — to drill
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bore — to tire
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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