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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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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. land — a country
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. staff — employees
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. staff — employees
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. kick — in football
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. staff — a stick
  21. hand — in cards
  22. hand — help
  23. land — ground
  24. land — to come down

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