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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. present — the time now
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bark — to shout
  8. present — there
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. present — a gift
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bore — to drill
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bore — gave birth

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