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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.

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: bore · fan · scale · court · wind · firm · lash · bay

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. firm — steady
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bore — to tire
  7. court — of a king
  8. firm — a company
  9. court — of law
  10. scale — in music
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to drill
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. wind — moving air
  20. firm — decided
  21. court — for sport
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bay — a horse colour

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