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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. row — a line
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pit — in a race
  5. wound — an injury
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. current — happening now
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. row — to paddle
  15. current — of water
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. current — electric
  19. pit — a hole
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. wound — an injury

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