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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. roll — a list
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. roll — a cake
  17. current — electric
  18. current — of water
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. current — happening now
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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