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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. cue — a signal
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. stand — to bear
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bore — to drill
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. chest — of your body
  15. cue — a hint
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. wound — an injury
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bore — to tire
  23. chest — a box
  24. chest — of your body

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