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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. plane — a tool
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. mate — a friend
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. mate — a partner
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. object — a thing
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. object — to protest
  18. shower — to wash
  19. mate — to breed
  20. object — an aim
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. shower — rain

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