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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. sharp — clever
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. craft — boats
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lie — to recline
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. last — finally
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. last — to go on
  15. clip — to cut
  16. clip — a video
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. kick — in football
  19. last — final
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. craft — a skill
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. clip — for paper

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