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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 116 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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bore — to tire
  10. stand — to bear
  11. charge — in control
  12. bore — to drill
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bulb — for light
  15. tube — a container
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. tube — the underground
  22. snap — to click
  23. charge — a price
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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