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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. hand — help
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. object — to protest
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. object — a thing
  9. can — a tin
  10. chip — to eat
  11. can — to be able to
  12. object — an aim
  13. club — for golf
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. club — a group
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. hand — in cards
  19. chip — for betting
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. club — for dancing
  24. mark — a grade

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