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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. current — happening now
  3. object — a thing
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. shower — to wash
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. shower — rain
  10. club — for dancing
  11. current — electric
  12. club — a group
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. object — an aim
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. perch — the fish
  18. club — for golf
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. object — to protest
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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