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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. land — ground
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. land — a country
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. season — of the year
  11. lean — thin
  12. toast — bread
  13. present — a gift
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. season — in sport
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. present — there
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. land — to come down
  22. present — the time now
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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