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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bore — to drill
  6. present — a gift
  7. court — of a king
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. present — the time now
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. court — for sport
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. court — of law
  21. bore — to tire
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. prune — to trim

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