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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. press — newspapers
  5. track — a path
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. track — to keep track
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. press — a publisher
  13. track — a song
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. rock — music
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. press — to push
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rock — a stone
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. game — a match

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