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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bound — tied together
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. object — an aim
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bound — certain
  9. object — to protest
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. kick — in football
  14. bat — the animal
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. object — a thing
  17. season — of the year
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bound — obliged
  24. season — in sport

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