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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. shower — to wash
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — to get on
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. tear — to rip
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. tear — from crying
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — hasty
  23. shower — rain
  24. tear — from crying

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