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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bore — to tire
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mug — to rob
  10. bark — to shout
  11. mug — a cup
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. chest — of your body
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. vault — a safe
  21. mug — a face
  22. chest — a box
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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