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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. squash — the sport
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. snap — to click
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mark — a trace
  15. squash — to crush
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. degree — temperature
  19. degree — from a university
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. degree — an amount
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. lash — an eyelash

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