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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. drill — a practice
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fork — in a road
  8. drill — army training
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. chair — a leader
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bulb — for light
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. drill — the tool
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bulb — of a plant

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