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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bound — obliged
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. object — to protest
  8. face — to point toward
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. object — a thing
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — magic
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bound — certain
  18. spell — letters
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. ball — a great time
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. object — an aim
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to confront

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