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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. mark — a trace
  4. row — a line
  5. cue — a hint
  6. scale — size or range
  7. cue — for pool
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — goods
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. row — to paddle
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bore — to drill
  17. tube — a container
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. cue — a signal
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. scale — in music

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