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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 120 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. ball — a dance
  5. kid — child
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. key — the most important part
  9. club — for dancing
  10. kid — to tease
  11. ball — a great time
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. pit — a hole
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. club — a group
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. pit — in a race
  21. key — in music
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. club — for golf
  24. key — for a lock

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