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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. mine — for digging
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bank — of a river
  10. toast — bread
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bank — for money
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bank — for money
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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