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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. swing — music
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. cap — a lid
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. scale — size or range
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wake — a trail
  14. scale — in music
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bore — to tire
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bore — to drill
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. swing — in golf
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — of ice
  24. swing — to play on

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