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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  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. kick — with a leg
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pass — a permit
  4. ground — crushed
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. snap — to click
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. saw — the tool
  10. ground — the earth
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. craft — boats
  14. ground — a position
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. kick — in football
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. craft — a skill
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. craft — a handicraft
  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