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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: suit · bore · rest · hand · court · spring · safe · lash

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. rest — what's left
  3. hand — in cards
  4. bore — to drill
  5. suit — clothes
  6. hand — help
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. spring — the season
  9. rest — what's left
  10. suit — to fit
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. spring — of water
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bore — to tire
  15. court — of law
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. suit — in cards
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. rest — a break
  22. court — of a king
  23. spring — a coil
  24. hand — part of the body

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