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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fine — high quality
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. mug — a face
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pit — a hole
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. mug — to rob
  17. fork — in a road
  18. pit — in a race
  19. vault — a safe
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. mug — a cup

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