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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. saw — the tool
  6. ball — a great time
  7. club — a group
  8. net — in sport
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. club — for golf
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. ball — a dance
  16. club — for dancing
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. net — after costs
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. cell — a phone
  21. net — for catching
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. ruler — for measuring

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