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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pop — to visit
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — in music
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bear — the animal
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. pop — music
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. spring — the season
  15. rock — music
  16. spring — a coil
  17. rock — a stone
  18. spring — of water
  19. bore — to tire
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pop — soda
  24. scale — size or range

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