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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.

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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: mouse · dip · fall · kick · ball · bore · lash · suit

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  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. dip — a sauce
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. fall — the season
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ball — a great time
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. suit — in cards
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bore — to tire
  12. fall — to drop
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bore — to drill
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. kick — in football
  19. ball — a dance
  20. dip — to sink
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. mouse — the animal
  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