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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.

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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: roll · mark · lash · fine · bore · can · firm · bay

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. roll — a cake
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. firm — a company
  6. fine — all right
  7. can — a tin
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to drill
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — a grade
  17. firm — steady
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bore — to tire
  24. roll — a list

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