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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. mine — for digging
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bank — for money
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bat — the animal
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bank — for money

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