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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 116 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: fan · mouse · lash · calf · perch · wound · prune · chip

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. prune — to trim
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. prune — to trim
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. wound — an injury
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — for betting
  19. perch — the fish
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wound — an injury

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