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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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. toast — bread
  4. pop — soda
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. pop — to visit
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bear — the animal
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pop — music
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. game — wild animals
  19. ball — a dance
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. ball — a great time
  23. game — a match
  24. toast — a drink to someone

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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