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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. charge — in control
  7. spring — of water
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. spring — a coil
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pass — a permit
  12. root — of a plant
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. charge — a price
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. spring — the season
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. root — the cause
  19. charge — electricity
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. vault — a safe
  24. root — of a word

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