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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. fall — to drop
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. suit — clothes
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rule — a law
  14. kick — in football
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. kid — to tease
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. kid — child
  19. toast — bread
  20. fall — to drop
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. fall — the season
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. rule — government

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