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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. pound — a weight
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. chip — for betting
  5. court — of a king
  6. chip — to eat
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. march — music
  18. court — for sport
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. court — of law
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. march — the month
  23. march — the month
  24. pound — for dogs

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