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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. kick — in football
  3. vault — a safe
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. snap — to click
  12. pop — soda
  13. mark — a grade
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. mark — a trace
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. foot — a measure
  18. pop — music
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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