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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. season — in sport
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. firm — steady
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. firm — decided
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. firm — a company
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. prune — to trim
  14. kid — child
  15. season — of the year
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. kid — to tease
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — to grow

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