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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — clever
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. deal — to handle
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bore — to tire
  13. row — a line
  14. content — happy
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. row — to paddle
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bore — to drill
  23. lean — thin
  24. content — the amount

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