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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. rush — hurry
  7. race — the arms race
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. root — of a plant
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. root — of a word
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bulb — for light
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. root — the cause
  18. race — a contest
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. race — humankind
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. fork — in a road
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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