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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 116 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. can — a tin
  4. tube — the underground
  5. can — a tin
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. mate — a partner
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. kick — in football
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. mate — to breed
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. mate — a friend
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. kid — child
  21. can — to be able to
  22. tube — a container
  23. kid — to tease
  24. kick — with a leg

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