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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. row — to paddle
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. scale — size or range
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. row — a line
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. saw — the tool
  24. lash — to lash out

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