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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. kick — in football
  4. land — to come down
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. land — a country
  7. object — an aim
  8. march — the month
  9. march — music
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. object — to protest
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. saw — the tool
  14. march — the month
  15. firm — decided
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. wake — a trail
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. land — ground
  20. firm — a company
  21. object — a thing
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. firm — steady

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