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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. scale — size or range
  5. staff — employees
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. chip — to eat
  9. fork — in a road
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. staff — a stick
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. saw — the tool
  17. scale — in music
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. saw — the tool
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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