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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bore — to drill
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. hand — help
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. hand — in cards
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. track — a song
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. track — a path
  23. bore — to tire
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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