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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bore — to drill
  9. root — of a plant
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. kid — to tease
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bore — to tire
  18. root — of a word
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. kid — child
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. root — the cause

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