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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: sharp · lash · roll · spell · ball · date · bear · bore

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — magic
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bear — the animal
  10. spell — a short time
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. date — the fruit
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. roll — a list
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. bore — to tire
  24. roll — a cake

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