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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. fall — to drop
  4. drill — the tool
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. drill — a practice
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — a country
  14. fall — the season
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fall — to drop
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. land — ground
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. drill — army training
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. chair — a leader
  24. calf — a young animal

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