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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 116 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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. pit — a hole
  3. rule — government
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. track — a path
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. track — a song
  8. track — to keep track
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. branch — a division
  11. lean — thin
  12. kick — in football
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. pit — in a race
  16. rule — a law
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. lean — to rest against

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