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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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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: calf · lie · kick · current · chip · dip · track · lash

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. chip — for betting
  9. kick — in football
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. dip — to sink
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. current — electric
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. current — happening now
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. track — a song
  18. track — a path
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lie — to recline
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. track — to keep track
  23. chip — to eat
  24. current — of water

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