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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. mine — for digging
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. plane — a tool
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pitch — completely
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. tube — a container
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bore — to tire
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. tube — the underground
  23. stand — to bear
  24. fan — a supporter

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