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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. spell — letters
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a trace
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. mark — a grade
  14. vault — a safe
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. kick — in football
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — government
  20. fork — in a road
  21. spell — magic
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. kick — a thrill

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