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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. band — a music group
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cell — a phone
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. pop — soda
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pop — to visit
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pop — music
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. band — a ring
  19. ball — a dance
  20. cell — in biology
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. ball — a great time
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cell — in a prison

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