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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. tube — a container
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. object — a thing
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. cue — a hint
  8. file — a document
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. file — a line of people
  12. file — a tool
  13. mine — for digging
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bore — to tire
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — an aim
  20. tube — the underground
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. bore — to drill
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. cue — a signal

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