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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.

Make a worksheet

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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · lash · suit · bowl · cold · bore

  1. The water is too ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bore — to drill
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. cold — an illness
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. bear — the animal
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. bear — the animal
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bowl — a dish

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