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

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. bank — for money
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. snap — to click
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bore — to tire
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bank — for money
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bore — to drill
  24. lash — to lash out

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