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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bulb — for light
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. craft — boats
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. craft — a skill
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. pass — a permit
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pass — to spend time

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