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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — to shout
  11. spring — the season
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. spring — a coil
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. charge — in control
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. charge — electricity
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. charge — a price
  22. deal — to handle
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. spring — of water

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