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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 120 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 who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. fall — to drop
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pit — in a race
  6. object — a thing
  7. land — a country
  8. object — to protest
  9. deal — to handle
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. object — an aim
  15. land — ground
  16. land — to come down
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. perch — the fish
  22. fall — the season
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. deal — a big deal

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