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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.

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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. chip — for betting
  3. present — a gift
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. present — there
  6. field — a subject
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bark — to shout
  9. present — the time now
  10. chip — to eat
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. field — farmland
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pit — a hole
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pit — in a race
  20. field — for sport
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. wave — with your hand

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