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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. land — a country
  4. bore — to drill
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. game — a match
  8. root — the cause
  9. present — there
  10. present — a gift
  11. can — a tin
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. root — of a word
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. root — of a plant
  17. present — the time now
  18. game — wild animals
  19. land — to come down
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. land — ground
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. bore — to tire
  24. lash — to lash out

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