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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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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: court · chip · pitcher · leaves · calf · firm · lash · snap

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. firm — a company
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. chip — to eat
  9. court — of a king
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. snap — to click
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. court — for sport
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. court — of law
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. chip — for betting
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. leaves — of a tree

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