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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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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. mate — a friend
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rash — a series
  6. mate — a partner
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. staff — employees
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. mate — to breed
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bark — to shout
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. rash — hasty
  23. staff — employees
  24. rash — on the skin

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