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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.

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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. fork — in a road
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. object — an aim
  14. bank — for money
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. kick — in football
  18. bear — the animal
  19. object — a thing
  20. bank — of a river
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. object — to protest
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bear — to put up with

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