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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: trunk · lie · kick · drill · rest · jam · lash · fine

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. rest — what's left
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. rest — a break
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. lie — to recline
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. kick — in football
  12. fine — all right
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. fine — high quality
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. rest — what's left
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. drill — army training
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. drill — a practice

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