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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 120 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  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. lash — an eyelash
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. clip — for paper
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pop — music
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. pop — soda
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. clip — to cut
  16. clip — a video
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. pop — to visit
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. kick — in football
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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