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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.

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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. foot — a measure
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. pit — in a race
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. kick — in football
  11. hand — help
  12. hand — in cards
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. staff — employees
  17. saw — the tool
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pit — a hole
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. staff — employees
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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