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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 120 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. fork — in a road
  4. mark — a trace
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bore — to drill
  8. season — in sport
  9. fall — the season
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fall — to drop
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. season — of the year
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bore — to tire
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. fall — to drop
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. fork — a garden tool

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