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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — in cards
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. hand — help
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. spring — the season
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. spring — of water
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bore — to drill
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bore — to tire

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