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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.

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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: lash · kick · trunk · pound · snap · sharp · staff · temple

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. staff — a stick
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. snap — to click
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. pound — a weight
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. staff — employees
  21. sharp — clever
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. staff — employees
  24. lash — an eyelash

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