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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. kick — in football
  4. rest — a break
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to click
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. rest — what's left
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. plane — a tool
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. rest — what's left

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