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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 116 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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Word bank
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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. net — after costs
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. band — a ring
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. dip — to sink
  9. net — in sport
  10. net — for catching
  11. band — a music group
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. rush — hurry
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. chair — a leader
  24. lash — an eyelash

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