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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: stand · dip · chair · bowl · nail · cue · bore · tear

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. cue — a hint
  4. dip — to sink
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. tear — from crying
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. tear — from crying
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bore — to tire
  16. chair — a leader
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cue — a signal
  22. tear — to rip
  23. bore — to drill
  24. stand — to bear

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