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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. kick — in football
  5. ground — a position
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. can — to be able to
  8. net — after costs
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ground — crushed
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. can — a tin
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. ground — the earth
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. net — for catching
  24. can — a tin

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