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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bore — to tire
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. face — to confront
  5. bore — to drill
  6. wound — an injury
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. club — a group
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. face — part of the head
  11. ball — a dance
  12. club — for golf
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. face — to point toward
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. wound — an injury
  20. ball — a great time
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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