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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 120 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.

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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. rest — a break
  3. court — of law
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bear — the animal
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. kick — in football
  8. rest — what's left
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. rest — what's left
  11. court — of a king
  12. row — to paddle
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bear — the animal
  17. court — for sport
  18. bear — to put up with

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