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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. rash — hasty
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ball — a great time
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. kick — in football
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. ground — the earth
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. ground — a position
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. rash — a series
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. ball — a dance

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