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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 116 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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. firm — steady
  4. hand — help
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. hand — in cards
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. firm — decided
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. lie — to recline
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. firm — a company
  24. lash — an eyelash

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