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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 120 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. can — a tin
  3. capital — money
  4. can — to be able to
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. press — newspapers
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. lie — to recline
  10. press — to push
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. can — a tin
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. clip — a video
  16. clip — for paper
  17. clip — to cut
  18. capital — a city
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. press — a publisher
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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