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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 120 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. branch — a division
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. object — to protest
  14. kid — to tease
  15. object — a thing
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. ball — a great time
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. season — in sport
  21. stand — to bear
  22. kid — child
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. object — an aim

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