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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. chest — a box
  3. clip — for paper
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. suit — in cards
  6. clip — to cut
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mate — a friend
  10. chest — of your body
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mate — to breed
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mate — a partner
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. clip — a video
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. chest — of your body
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. suit — to fit

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