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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. kick — in football
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bound — obliged
  7. pop — music
  8. bore — to tire
  9. game — a match
  10. bound — certain
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. staff — employees
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. staff — employees
  17. pop — soda
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bore — to drill
  20. game — wild animals
  21. bound — tied together
  22. foot — a measure
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. kick — a thrill

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