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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. ball — a great time
  4. lean — to bend
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pop — music
  7. kick — in football
  8. ball — a dance
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. suit — to fit
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. firm — decided
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pop — to visit
  15. firm — a company
  16. pop — soda
  17. firm — steady
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. lean — thin
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. lash — an eyelash

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