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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. cap — a lid
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — in football
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. current — electric
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stock — shares
  12. current — happening now
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. cap — of ice
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. current — of water
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stock — goods
  24. cap — a hat

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