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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. rush — hurry
  5. key — for a lock
  6. charge — electricity
  7. branch — a division
  8. pit — in a race
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. key — in music
  12. charge — in control
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. pit — a hole
  16. charge — a price
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. key — the most important part
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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