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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. game — wild animals
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. game — a match
  9. wind — moving air
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mate — a partner
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. wind — moving air
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. mate — to breed
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mate — a friend

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