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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bore — to tire
  7. rest — what's left
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. tube — a container
  10. firm — steady
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bore — to drill
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. rest — a break
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. sharp — clever
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. firm — decided
  24. snap — to click

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