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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bore — to drill
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. mug — a cup
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a face
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. root — the cause
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. wind — moving air
  15. root — of a word
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bore — to tire
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. root — of a plant
  24. wind — moving air

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