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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fine — all right
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. current — happening now
  5. roll — a cake
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. current — of water
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. current — electric
  11. bark — to shout
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. fine — high quality
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. bass — low music
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bass — the fish
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. fine — a penalty

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