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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.

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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: game · racket · bore · lash · fine · bound · cap · lean

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. bore — to tire
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. cap — a hat
  5. lean — thin
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. fine — all right
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bore — to drill
  14. game — a match
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — certain
  19. fine — high quality
  20. game — wild animals
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bound — tied together
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fine — a penalty

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