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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 felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fall — to drop
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. scale — size or range
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. craft — a skill
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — to crush
  18. fall — to drop
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. craft — boats
  21. squash — the sport
  22. fall — the season
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. scale — in music

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