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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 116 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cold — an illness
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. cold — not warm
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. swing — in golf
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. swing — music
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. lash — to lash out

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