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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 124 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. spring — of water
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bore — to drill
  6. can — a tin
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. field — for sport
  9. can — to be able to
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. field — a subject
  12. cue — for pool
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. field — farmland
  16. spring — the season
  17. band — a ring
  18. can — a tin
  19. cue — a signal
  20. spring — a coil
  21. bore — to tire
  22. band — a music group
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. cue — a hint

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