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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: object · fine · lash · stick · mine · spring · arm · bore

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. object — to protest
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bore — to drill
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bore — to tire
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fine — all right
  17. object — a thing
  18. spring — the season
  19. object — an aim
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. spring — a coil
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bore — gave birth

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