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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. track — a path
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. ground — a position
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. cap — a lid
  9. ground — the earth
  10. land — to come down
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. land — ground
  15. cap — of ice
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ground — crushed
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. cap — a hat
  21. track — to keep track
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. track — a song
  24. land — a country

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