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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 116 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bat — the animal
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. suit — in cards
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. suit — to fit
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. stand — to bear
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. squash — to crush

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