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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: foot · toast · face · fork · stand · lash · swing · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. foot — a measure
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — part of the head
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. stand — to bear
  8. kick — in football
  9. swing — in golf
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. fork — in a road
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. face — to confront
  19. swing — to play on
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. toast — bread
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. swing — music
  24. toast — the most admired

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