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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 124 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. can — to be able to
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. can — a tin
  11. row — a line
  12. row — to paddle
  13. saw — the tool
  14. cue — for pool
  15. stand — to bear
  16. cue — a hint
  17. can — a tin
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. kick — in football
  20. cue — a signal
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — a thrill

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