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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. lie — to recline
  4. charge — electricity
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. race — the arms race
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. charge — in control
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. charge — a price
  18. race — humankind
  19. race — a contest
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. perch — the fish
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. date — the fruit
  24. lie — an untruth

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