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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 felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bank — for money
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bank — for money
  7. pit — a hole
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — to come from
  10. present — there
  11. bank — of a river
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bear — the animal
  14. present — the time now
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bear — the animal
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. present — a gift

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