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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: clip · bark · bore · dip · pitch · mouse · hand · lash

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bark — to shout
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. hand — in cards
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. dip — to sink
  9. clip — a video
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bore — to tire
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pitch — completely
  21. hand — help
  22. clip — to cut
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. clip — for paper

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