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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. bore — to drill
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. present — the time now
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. season — in sport
  12. rock — music
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. cell — in biology
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cell — a phone
  17. rock — a stone
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. present — there
  20. bore — to tire
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. season — of the year
  24. fall — to drop

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