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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cap — a hat
  8. firm — decided
  9. spring — of water
  10. firm — steady
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. firm — a company
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. spring — a coil
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. spring — the season
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — of ice
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. pitcher — a jug

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