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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. board — to get on
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. kick — in football
  8. kid — to tease
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — to breed
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. kid — child
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. board — a committee
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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