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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. spell — letters
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. perch — the fish
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. suit — to fit
  14. spell — magic
  15. present — there
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. suit — in cards
  18. present — the time now
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. suit — clothes
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. present — a gift
  23. spell — a short time
  24. cabinet — ministers

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