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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. mate — a friend
  3. chair — a leader
  4. roll — a cake
  5. mate — to breed
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bore — to tire
  8. roll — a list
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — the fish
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. mate — a partner
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bass — low music
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. wake — a trail
  20. season — in sport
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. season — of the year
  24. bore — to drill

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