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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. perch — the fish
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. stock — goods
  11. last — to go on
  12. prune — to trim
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. last — finally
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stock — shares
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. prune — to trim
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. last — final

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