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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 116 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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Word bank
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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. snap — to click
  4. present — a gift
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. row — to paddle
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. object — a thing
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. row — a line
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. object — an aim
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. craft — boats
  19. object — to protest
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. craft — a skill
  23. present — there
  24. calf — of the leg

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