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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. stem — to come from
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. suit — in cards
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. pop — soda
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. swing — in golf
  11. foot — a measure
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. pop — to visit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pop — music
  19. suit — to fit
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. swing — music
  24. lash — an eyelash

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