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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. stock — shares
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. suit — clothes
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fork — in a road
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bear — the animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. stock — goods
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. wake — a trail

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