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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 120 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. rest — what's left
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. board — a committee
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. rest — a break
  8. kid — child
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cap — of ice
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — a hat
  16. kid — to tease
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. rest — what's left
  19. board — to get on
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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