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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. charge — a price
  5. fork — in a road
  6. charge — in control
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. drill — the tool
  9. squash — to crush
  10. drill — army training
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. charge — electricity
  14. drill — a practice
  15. squash — the sport
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. kick — in football
  23. fork — to eat with
  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