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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. swing — music
  9. kid — child
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. craft — boats
  13. lie — to recline
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. craft — a skill
  16. kid — to tease
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. swing — in golf
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. deal — to handle
  24. swing — to play on

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