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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. staff — employees
  6. content — the amount
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to drill
  10. wake — a trail
  11. content — happy
  12. deal — to handle
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. staff — employees
  18. bore — to tire
  19. chair — a leader
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. staff — a stick
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. content — videos and posts

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