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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: capital · lash · plane · staff · hide · wound · calf · track

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. capital — money
  4. track — to keep track
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. wound — an injury
  9. track — a song
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. staff — a stick
  14. staff — employees
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. track — a path
  17. staff — employees
  18. wound — an injury
  19. plane — a tool
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. capital — a city
  24. hide — to keep secret

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