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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: drill · spring · bore · lean · firm · pitcher · lash · bay

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. spring — of water
  3. lean — thin
  4. firm — a company
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. firm — decided
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bore — to drill
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. firm — steady
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. drill — army training
  15. spring — the season
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. spring — a coil
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — to lash out

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