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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: nail · bore · content · racket · bowl · firm · lash · bulb

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  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. firm — decided
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bulb — for light
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. firm — steady
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bore — to tire
  13. content — happy
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bore — to drill
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bulb — for light
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. firm — a company
  23. content — the amount
  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