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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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wound — an injury
  5. mate — a friend
  6. bank — for money
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. mate — to breed
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. stand — to bear
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. mate — a partner
  24. tube — a container

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