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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: kick · content · pound · safe · leaves · calf · lash · hide

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. content — the amount
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. kick — in football
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pound — a weight
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. content — happy

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