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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. shower — rain
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. stock — shares
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. shower — to wash
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. stock — goods
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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