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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bore — to tire
  3. land — to come down
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bound — certain
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — for sport
  9. bound — obliged
  10. charge — in control
  11. bore — to drill
  12. court — of law
  13. suit — clothes
  14. charge — a price
  15. bank — for money
  16. land — a country
  17. land — ground
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bound — tied together
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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