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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. current — of water
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. kick — in football
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pitch — completely
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. mark — a grade
  14. current — happening now
  15. craft — boats
  16. mark — a trace
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. current — electric
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. tube — the underground
  22. rock — a stone
  23. tube — a container
  24. pitch — a sports field

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