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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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: mine · rush · calf · stand · lash · fork · object · fan

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. object — an aim
  6. fork — in a road
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. rush — hurry
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. mine — for digging
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. object — to protest
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. object — a thing
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. stand — to bear

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