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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. suit — to fit
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. swing — music
  7. kick — in football
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. suit — in cards
  10. shower — to wash
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. fine — all right
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. fine — high quality
  19. suit — clothes
  20. shower — rain
  21. pass — a permit
  22. swing — in golf
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. lean — thin

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