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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bat — the animal
  8. mug — a cup
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. foot — a measure
  15. rock — music
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. rash — hasty
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a face
  23. rash — a series
  24. foot — the bottom

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