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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 116 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  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. mug — to rob
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bass — low music
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bass — the fish
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bore — to tire
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bound — certain
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. file — a line of people
  14. deal — to handle
  15. mug — a face
  16. file — a document
  17. tube — the underground
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. file — a tool
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to drill
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  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