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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 ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. net — in sport
  3. pop — music
  4. ground — the earth
  5. can — a tin
  6. bore — to drill
  7. net — after costs
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. can — a tin
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bore — to tire
  15. pop — to visit
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. net — for catching
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. can — to be able to
  21. ground — a position
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. ground — crushed
  24. pop — soda

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