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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. march — the month
  5. game — a match
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. fine — high quality
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. lean — thin
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — boats
  13. march — the month
  14. game — wild animals
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fine — all right
  18. lean — to bend
  19. march — music
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. craft — a skill

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