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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bore — to drill
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bore — to tire
  14. land — to come down
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. rest — a break
  17. land — a country
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. land — ground
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. pass — a permit
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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