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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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Word bank
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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. content — the amount
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cell — in biology
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. cell — a phone
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. rock — music
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. kick — in football
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. content — happy
  21. rock — a stone
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rock — to move gently

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