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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. cap — of ice
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. ground — the earth
  5. cap — a hat
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. ground — crushed
  14. row — to paddle
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. row — a line
  21. pass — a permit
  22. cap — a lid
  23. ground — a position
  24. leaves — to go away

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