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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. land — ground
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. firm — steady
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. lie — to recline
  14. firm — a company
  15. court — of a king
  16. firm — decided
  17. land — a country
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. court — for sport
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. kick — in football
  22. court — of law
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. land — to come down

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