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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 120 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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. net — in sport
  5. bound — certain
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bound — tied together
  10. court — of a king
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. saw — the tool
  14. net — after costs
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. court — for sport
  18. court — of law
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. net — for catching
  22. bound — obliged
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. hide — animal skin

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