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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 120 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bass — low music
  6. pound — a weight
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to drill
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bore — to tire
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. mine — for digging

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