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

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bark — to shout
  3. tube — a container
  4. rest — a break
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. suit — to fit
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. suit — in cards
  9. spell — a short time
  10. squash — the sport
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. spell — magic
  14. tube — the underground
  15. squash — to crush
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. spell — letters
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bark — of a tree
  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