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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.

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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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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: lie · ball · content · bore · clip · lash · staff · rest

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. clip — for paper
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bore — to drill
  7. clip — to cut
  8. content — the amount
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. clip — a video
  13. staff — employees
  14. content — happy
  15. rest — what's left
  16. ball — a great time
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. bore — to tire
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. staff — employees

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