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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pass — a permit
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. net — after costs
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. net — in sport
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lean — thin
  20. fork — in a road
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. prune — to trim
  24. calf — a young animal

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