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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. content — the amount
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ball — a dance
  8. present — there
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bore — to drill
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. kick — in football
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bore — to tire
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. content — happy
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. present — a gift
  24. content — videos and posts

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