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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. bear — the animal
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cell — in biology
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — a price
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rush — hurry
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cell — a phone
  20. chip — for betting
  21. game — wild animals
  22. game — a match
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. chip — to eat

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