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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.

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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — goods
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. race — humankind
  9. mate — to breed
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. mate — a friend
  12. kick — in football
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. content — the amount
  18. rest — a break
  19. mate — a partner
  20. race — the arms race
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. content — happy
  24. race — a contest

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