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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. wound — an injury
  5. firm — a company
  6. can — to be able to
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. can — a tin
  10. key — in music
  11. firm — steady
  12. date — the fruit
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. key — the most important part
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. firm — decided
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. key — for a lock
  24. wound — an injury

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