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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. can — a tin
  3. drill — a practice
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. can — to be able to
  6. drill — the tool
  7. bore — to drill
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bore — to tire
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. capital — money
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. mug — a cup
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. can — a tin
  17. capital — a city
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. drill — army training
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. temple — side of the head

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