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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bore — to tire
  13. hand — in cards
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. vault — a safe
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bore — to drill
  20. face — to confront
  21. hand — help
  22. face — part of the head
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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