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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. face — to confront
  4. bore — to drill
  5. root — the cause
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. face — to point toward
  8. sharp — clever
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. drill — army training
  11. lean — thin
  12. face — part of the head
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — a trace
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — the tool
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. root — of a plant
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. root — of a word
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bore — to tire

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