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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. firm — a company
  4. tear — to rip
  5. bore — to tire
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. kick — in football
  9. tear — from crying
  10. capital — a city
  11. object — to protest
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — for catching
  14. firm — decided
  15. object — an aim
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. capital — money
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. tear — from crying
  20. firm — steady
  21. object — a thing
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. net — after costs

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