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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 120 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: charge · wound · object · lash · calf · chest · firm · kid

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. charge — electricity
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. wound — an injury
  8. chest — of your body
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. object — to protest
  11. kid — child
  12. firm — steady
  13. chest — of your body
  14. object — an aim
  15. charge — a price
  16. firm — a company
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. charge — in control
  19. firm — decided
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. object — a thing
  22. wound — an injury
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. kid — to tease

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