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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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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: bore · snap · rush · hand · cue · pitcher · bat · object

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bore — to drill
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. hand — in cards
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bore — to tire
  14. object — a thing
  15. object — an aim
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. snap — to click
  19. cue — a signal
  20. rush — hurry
  21. cue — a hint
  22. object — to protest
  23. hand — help
  24. rush — a thrill

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