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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. pop — music
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. cue — for pool
  7. craft — boats
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pop — soda
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. season — of the year
  13. cue — a signal
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. season — in sport
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bat — the animal
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. pop — to visit

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