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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 · file · rush · bear · calf · kid · chair · ruler

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. file — a tool
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. chair — a leader
  17. kid — to tease
  18. file — a line of people
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. kid — child
  22. file — a document
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — hurry

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