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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rock — a stone
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. staff — employees
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. face — to confront
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rock — music
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bass — the fish
  17. staff — employees
  18. bass — low music
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. face — to point toward
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. face — part of the head
  24. staff — a stick

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