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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: clip · lash · race · cabinet · court · calf · rush · lean

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. court — of a king
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. clip — for paper
  9. race — humankind
  10. clip — to cut
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. rush — hurry
  14. court — for sport
  15. race — a contest
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. race — the arms race
  20. lean — thin
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. clip — a video
  24. lean — to bend

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