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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. court — of a king
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. snap — to click
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. rule — a law
  12. court — for sport
  13. ground — crushed
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. rule — government
  17. ground — a position
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ground — the earth
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — in football
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. court — of law
  24. rush — hurry

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