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

Word bank: calf · rule · stand · perch · bear · lash · tube · nail

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bear — the animal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. perch — the fish
  6. rule — government
  7. stand — to bear
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. tube — a container
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rule — a law
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. stand — on your feet

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