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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 120 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. firm — decided
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. field — farmland
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. field — a subject
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. firm — steady
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. tube — a container
  21. pit — in a race
  22. tube — the underground
  23. pit — a hole
  24. field — for sport

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