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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. cue — a signal
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. cue — for pool
  12. stand — to bear
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. fine — all right
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — music
  23. season — of the year
  24. cue — a hint

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