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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.

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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. foot — a measure
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. staff — employees
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. staff — a stick
  8. sharp — clever
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. content — happy
  12. content — the amount
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. rash — hasty
  16. staff — employees
  17. last — final
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. last — to go on
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. kick — in football
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. last — finally
  24. rash — a series

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