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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. swing — music
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stand — to bear
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. swing — in golf
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. kid — to tease
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. kid — child
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bear — to put up with

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