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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — electric
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. current — of water
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. plane — a tool
  22. charge — a price
  23. kick — in football
  24. racket — for tennis

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