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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. bore — to drill
  3. cap — of ice
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pound — a weight
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. chair — a leader
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. cap — a hat
  12. tube — the underground
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. rush — hurry
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. tube — a container
  21. bore — to tire
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. rush — 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