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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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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 · lash · hide · suit · branch · chair · lean · pound

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. branch — a division
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. suit — in cards
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. suit — to fit
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to bend
  18. pound — a weight
  19. suit — clothes
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. hide — to keep secret

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