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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 120 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. chest — a box
  3. bore — to drill
  4. key — in music
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. chest — of your body
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. chest — of your body
  10. key — the most important part
  11. present — there
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bore — to tire
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — a gift

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