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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — a hint
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. tear — from crying
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. craft — boats
  12. tear — to rip
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. saw — the tool
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. tear — from crying
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. craft — a skill
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. cue — for pool

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