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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. wound — an injury
  5. kick — in football
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — in sport
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. club — a group
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bore — to tire
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. club — for dancing
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. stock — shares
  17. club — for golf
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. net — after costs
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. stock — goods
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. wound — an injury

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