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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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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: track · snap · leaves · lash · mark · calf · bowl · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. kick — in football
  5. mark — a grade
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. snap — to click
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a song
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. track — a path

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