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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 · squash · kid · dip · hide · board · scale · calf

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. dip — to sink
  4. squash — to crush
  5. squash — the sport
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. kid — to tease
  8. kid — child
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. board — to get on
  13. scale — in music
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. scale — size or range
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. board — a committee
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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