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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. mug — to rob
  5. vault — a safe
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. mug — a cup
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. mug — a face
  16. staff — employees
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. staff — a stick
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. cell — in biology
  21. kick — in football
  22. staff — employees
  23. cell — a phone
  24. kick — a thrill

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