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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lash · coach · capital · kick · stem · content · calf · lie

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stem — to come from
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. content — the amount
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. capital — a city
  16. kick — in football
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. lie — to recline
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. content — happy
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. capital — money
  24. capital — a big letter

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