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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 116 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 ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. snap — to click
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. lean — thin
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. board — to get on
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pass — a permit
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. calf — a young animal

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