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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bore — to tire
  4. ground — the earth
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. board — a committee
  8. ground — a position
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. shower — to wash
  11. board — to get on
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bore — to drill
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rash — hasty
  16. shower — rain
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. ground — crushed
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. lash — an eyelash

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