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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. ball — a great time
  4. key — for a lock
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. key — the most important part
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. suit — to fit
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. suit — clothes
  15. lean — thin
  16. pitch — completely
  17. stand — to bear
  18. kick — in football
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. key — in music
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. suit — in cards

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