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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. swing — in golf
  5. spell — letters
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. swing — music
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. craft — boats
  11. rush — hurry
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. swing — to play on
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. craft — a skill
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. can — to be able to
  19. spell — magic
  20. can — a tin
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. can — a tin
  23. spell — a short time
  24. calf — a young animal

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