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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: pop · bore · lash · hide · rest · court · mine · branch

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. mine — for digging
  3. bore — to drill
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. rest — a break
  8. pop — soda
  9. rest — what's left
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — a division
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. court — of law
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. court — of a king
  17. pop — music
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bore — to tire
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. court — for sport
  23. pop — to visit
  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