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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. rest — what's left
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. sharp — clever
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. net — in sport
  12. shower — to wash
  13. lean — thin
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. shower — rain
  18. net — after costs
  19. pop — to visit
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. pop — music
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. net — for catching

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