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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. plane — a tool
  4. content — happy
  5. track — to keep track
  6. mug — a cup
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. tear — to rip
  11. track — a song
  12. bore — to drill
  13. mug — to rob
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. track — a path
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pass — a permit
  20. tear — from crying
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bore — to tire
  24. plane — an aircraft

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