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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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 drill
  3. last — to go on
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. content — the amount
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. last — finally
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — an aim
  12. file — a line of people
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. content — happy
  18. file — a tool
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. last — final
  22. file — a document
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. object — to protest

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