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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 120 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 is an ace ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. can — a tin
  6. bore — to drill
  7. face — to confront
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. can — to be able to
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stand — to bear
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. face — part of the head
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. face — to point toward
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. can — a tin
  22. bore — to tire
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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