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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. can — to be able to
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. bat — the animal
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. can — a tin
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. fine — high quality
  12. kick — in football
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. cell — a phone
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — an injury
  17. fine — all right
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. can — a tin
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. safe — a strongbox

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