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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: can · deal · court · lie · club · net · bore · lash

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. net — after costs
  3. court — of a king
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bore — to drill
  8. net — for catching
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bore — to tire
  13. club — for dancing
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. club — a group
  16. court — of law
  17. lie — to recline
  18. deal — to handle
  19. net — in sport
  20. can — a tin
  21. club — for golf
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. court — for sport
  24. can — to be able to

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