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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. wound — an injury
  3. craft — a skill
  4. season — of the year
  5. cue — a hint
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bark — to shout
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. cue — a signal
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wound — an injury
  17. season — in sport
  18. cue — for pool
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. stand — to bear
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. craft — boats

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