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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. band — a music group
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. degree — from a university
  7. degree — an amount
  8. mug — to rob
  9. rash — hasty
  10. kick — in football
  11. mug — a cup
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. degree — temperature
  15. mug — a face
  16. band — a ring
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. rash — a series
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. stand — to bear

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