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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: bulb · calf · bark · lash · clip · squash · arm · current

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. current — of water
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. clip — to cut
  5. bark — to shout
  6. current — electric
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bulb — for light
  16. current — happening now
  17. clip — for paper
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. clip — a video
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bulb — for light
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. squash — to crush

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