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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. staff — employees
  3. present — the time now
  4. tube — a container
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. rest — what's left
  9. fine — high quality
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. kick — in football
  12. present — a gift
  13. staff — a stick
  14. rest — what's left
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. tube — the underground
  17. rest — a break
  18. fine — all right
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. present — there
  22. staff — employees
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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