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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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 — an eyelash
  4. plane — a tool
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. net — for catching
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. net — in sport
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. tube — the underground
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. tube — a container
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. shower — to wash
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pound — a weight
  20. mark — a trace
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. shower — rain
  24. net — after costs

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