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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
468
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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. rash — hasty
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. court — of law
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. rash — a series
  9. fine — all right
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. court — for sport
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — completely
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. kick — in football
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. court — of a king
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. lash — an eyelash

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