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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. rash — hasty
  8. kick — in football
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. root — of a plant
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. roll — a list
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. root — of a word
  17. rash — a series
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. root — the cause
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. lean — to bend
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. roll — a cake

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