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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. tube — a container
  4. fall — to drop
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bore — to tire
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bore — to drill
  9. ball — a dance
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. fall — the season
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — for betting
  21. fall — to drop
  22. chip — to eat
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. tube — the underground

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