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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. key — for a lock
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. mate — a friend
  7. key — in music
  8. mate — a partner
  9. wax — to grow
  10. pit — in a race
  11. rest — a break
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. key — the most important part
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — a law
  16. rest — what's left
  17. kick — in football
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. mate — to breed
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. pit — a hole

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