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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 120 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. season — of the year
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. field — farmland
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. season — in sport
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. field — a subject
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. lean — to bend
  20. stand — to bear
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lean — thin
  23. field — for sport
  24. arm — a part of something

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