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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. wound — an injury
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. content — the amount
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. snap — to click
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. content — happy
  13. wound — an injury
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. bulb — for light
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bowl — a dish

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