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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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468
Word bank
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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. clip — to cut
  4. bulb — for light
  5. current — happening now
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. clip — for paper
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. club — for golf
  10. fork — in a road
  11. current — electric
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fine — all right
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bulb — for light
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. clip — a video
  21. club — for dancing
  22. current — of water
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. club — a group

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