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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: stand · key · sharp · wound · kid · lash · calf · mug

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. stand — to bear
  4. mug — a cup
  5. wound — an injury
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. key — for a lock
  8. kid — to tease
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. kid — child
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. wound — an injury
  13. key — in music
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. mug — to rob
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mug — a face
  20. sharp — clever
  21. key — the most important part
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. calf — a young animal

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