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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. staff — employees
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. plane — a tool
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. object — an aim
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. staff — a stick
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. pit — a hole
  17. object — to protest
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. staff — employees
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. object — a thing
  24. fan — to cool the air

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