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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: board · bore · bulb · lie · lash · cue · cap · date

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. date — the fruit
  3. bulb — for light
  4. board — to get on
  5. cue — a hint
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bore — to drill
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bore — to tire
  13. cap — of ice
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. board — a committee
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. cue — for pool
  23. lie — to recline
  24. cap — a lid

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