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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. spell — letters
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. spell — a short time
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. degree — temperature
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. degree — an amount
  15. spell — magic
  16. degree — from a university
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. fine — high quality
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. fine — all right
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. jam — a tight spot

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