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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. dip — to sink
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. land — to come down
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bore — to drill
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bore — to tire
  12. land — ground
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. land — a country
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. calf — a young animal

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