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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. cue — a signal
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. cue — for pool
  7. wax — to grow
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. cap — a hat
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bore — to drill
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — clever
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. cap — of ice
  18. kick — in football
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. cue — a hint
  24. lash — to lash out

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