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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. lie — to recline
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. race — humankind
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. craft — boats
  9. rash — a series
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. race — the arms race
  12. rash — hasty
  13. race — a contest
  14. kick — in football
  15. craft — a skill
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lie — an untruth

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