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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 116 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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bore — to drill
  5. snap — to click
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bass — low music
  9. net — in sport
  10. present — a gift
  11. net — after costs
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bass — the fish
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. net — for catching
  18. staff — a stick
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. present — there
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bass — the instrument

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