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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. face — to point toward
  3. net — for catching
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. net — in sport
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to confront
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. spell — letters
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bore — to tire
  14. stock — goods
  15. net — after costs
  16. bore — to drill
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. spell — a short time
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stock — shares
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. lash — to lash out

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