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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. suit — clothes
  5. chest — a box
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. stand — to bear
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bass — the fish
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. suit — in cards
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bass — low music
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. chest — of your body
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. chest — of your body

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