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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bore — to tire
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. file — a line of people
  6. object — a thing
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. shower — to wash
  9. snap — to click
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. object — an aim
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bore — to drill
  17. file — a tool
  18. shower — rain
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. object — to protest
  23. file — a document
  24. bowl — to roll

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