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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.

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: content · cabinet · bulb · bore · lash · spell · mate · coach

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. spell — letters
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — magic
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to drill
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. content — happy
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. content — the amount
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — a friend
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. coach — a trainer

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