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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. spell — a short time
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bore — to tire
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. roll — a cake
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a great time
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. spell — magic
  17. roll — a list
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. branch — a division
  21. bore — to drill
  22. spell — letters
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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