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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bulb — for light
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. clip — to cut
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mate — to breed
  12. clip — a video
  13. mate — a friend
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bore — to drill
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bore — to tire
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. mate — a partner
  23. clip — for paper
  24. bulb — of a plant

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