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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bank — for money
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bank — for money
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. season — in sport
  7. last — final
  8. season — of the year
  9. fall — to drop
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bat — the animal
  12. last — to go on
  13. fall — to drop
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. last — finally
  16. chip — for betting
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. fall — the season
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bank — of a river

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