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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rest — a break
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. kick — in football
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. rest — what's left
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. rest — what's left
  14. prune — to trim
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. craft — boats
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. fork — in a road
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. lie — to recline
  23. craft — a skill
  24. lash — to lash out

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