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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: last · kick · lash · bat · bay · dip · bound · racket

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. last — finally
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — certain
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bound — tied together
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. last — final
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. last — to go on
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. kick — in football
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bat — the animal

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