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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: rash · kid · object · lie · bore · mine · pitcher · cue

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. object — to protest
  3. bore — to drill
  4. rash — a series
  5. kid — to tease
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. mine — for digging
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bore — to tire
  13. cue — a hint
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. kid — child
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. cue — a signal
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — an aim
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rash — hasty

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