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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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  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. bat — the animal
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. kick — in football
  9. deal — to handle
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. content — the amount
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. lie — to recline
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. content — happy
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. kick — a thrill
  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