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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: ground · board · lash · tear · mug · bore · rest · land

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rest — a break
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. land — to come down
  5. board — to get on
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — crushed
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. tear — from crying
  10. mug — a face
  11. land — ground
  12. bore — to tire
  13. board — a committee
  14. tear — to rip
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. tear — from crying
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mug — to rob
  19. land — a country
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. ground — the earth
  23. bore — to drill
  24. rest — what's left

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