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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. dip — to sink
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bat — the animal
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. rash — a series
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. calf — a young animal

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