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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mate — a partner
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. mate — to breed
  7. swing — in golf
  8. band — a ring
  9. squash — the sport
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. swing — to play on
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. band — a music group
  18. staff — employees
  19. swing — music
  20. squash — to crush
  21. mate — a friend
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. staff — a stick
  24. calf — of the leg

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