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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bore — to drill
  4. rule — government
  5. deal — to handle
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. current — of water
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. hand — in cards
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — after costs
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a cup
  16. net — in sport
  17. current — electric
  18. hand — help
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bore — to tire
  22. rule — a law
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. current — happening now

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