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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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Word bank
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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. lean — thin
  4. key — in music
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. spell — letters
  7. kick — in football
  8. key — for a lock
  9. ball — a great time
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. key — the most important part
  14. lean — to bend
  15. spell — magic
  16. sharp — clever
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. spell — a short time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. sharp — with an edge

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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