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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. suit — clothes
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. suit — in cards
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. mate — to breed
  8. present — there
  9. game — wild animals
  10. mate — a friend
  11. present — a gift
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. mate — a partner
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. current — of water
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. game — a match
  18. suit — to fit
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. current — electric
  21. current — happening now
  22. present — the time now
  23. kick — in football
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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