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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. rock — music
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. wound — an injury
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bound — certain
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bore — to drill
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bass — low music
  16. branch — a division
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bore — to tire
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bound — tied together
  24. lash — an eyelash

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