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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. object — to protest
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — a company
  8. rule — a law
  9. firm — decided
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. kick — in football
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. object — an aim
  16. hand — help
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. object — a thing
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. rule — government
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. hide — animal skin

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