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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. firm — decided
  4. kick — in football
  5. wound — an injury
  6. firm — steady
  7. wound — an injury
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. cue — for pool
  10. last — to go on
  11. pitch — completely
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. firm — a company
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. last — finally
  19. deal — to handle
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. cue — a signal
  24. deal — an agreement

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