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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bore — to drill
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bore — to tire
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. mate — a partner
  10. fine — all right
  11. mate — to breed
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. tube — a container
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. mate — a friend
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. tube — the underground
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. content — happy
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. content — the amount
  24. tube — in a tire

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