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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 ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. cap — a hat
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. cap — a lid
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bore — to tire
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. kick — in football
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. cap — of ice
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bore — to drill
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. wax — to grow
  22. lean — thin
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mark — to pay attention

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