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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. race — the arms race
  5. chair — a leader
  6. race — humankind
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. deal — to handle
  21. pound — a weight
  22. race — a contest
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. bulb — for light

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