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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.

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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. land — a country
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. kick — in football
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. object — a thing
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. object — to protest
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bear — the animal
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. land — ground
  21. bear — the animal
  22. land — to come down
  23. object — an aim
  24. deal — to handle

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