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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. suit — to fit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. prune — to trim
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pop — soda
  12. game — a match
  13. pop — to visit
  14. rule — government
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. pop — music
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. suit — clothes
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. rule — a law

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