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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. clip — to cut
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. key — in music
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. key — the most important part
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. kick — in football
  20. key — for a lock
  21. clip — a video
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. saw — the tool
  24. clip — for paper

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