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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. cap — a hat
  3. rest — a break
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a lid
  6. net — for catching
  7. rush — hurry
  8. net — after costs
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. hand — help
  14. bore — to tire
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. hand — in cards
  17. bore — to drill
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. net — in sport
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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