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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bark — to shout
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. band — a music group
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. band — a ring
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. arm — a part of something

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