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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: suit · hand · land · firm · mouse · lash · saw · kick

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. suit — clothes
  3. saw — the tool
  4. hand — help
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — decided
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. hand — in cards
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — a country
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. land — ground
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. firm — a company
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. saw — the tool
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. kick — in football
  24. suit — to fit

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