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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. fine — all right
  5. spell — a short time
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. bore — to drill
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. cell — a phone
  14. cell — in biology
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — music
  18. bore — to tire
  19. spell — magic
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. spell — letters
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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