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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 120 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: pitcher · fine · bore · cue · sharp · pass · last · lean

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. cue — a hint
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. fine — all right
  9. sharp — clever
  10. last — finally
  11. pass — a permit
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bore — to drill
  14. lean — thin
  15. last — to go on
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bore — to tire
  19. lean — to bend
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. last — final
  24. fine — high quality

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