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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: lash · stick · plane · bank · kick · cap · calf · bay

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bank — of a river
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bank — for money
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cap — of ice
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bank — for money
  24. kick — in football

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