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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 120 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.

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: staff · mine · mug · wave · bear · calf · spring · lash

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. spring — the season
  3. spring — of water
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. mug — a face
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. spring — a coil
  9. bear — the animal
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. mine — for digging
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. staff — employees
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bear — the animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. mug — to rob
  22. staff — a stick
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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