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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. field — a subject
  4. field — for sport
  5. can — a tin
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. can — to be able to
  11. season — in sport
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. saw — the tool
  14. object — a thing
  15. staff — employees
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. object — to protest
  18. staff — a stick
  19. field — farmland
  20. season — of the year
  21. staff — employees
  22. object — an aim
  23. saw — the tool
  24. lash — to lash out

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