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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. mate — a partner
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. rash — hasty
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mate — to breed
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — music
  10. rash — a series
  11. mate — a friend
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — to drill
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. object — to protest
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. object — a thing
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. swing — to play on
  24. ball — a dance

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