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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.

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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. chip — for betting
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. spring — the season
  5. race — a contest
  6. prune — to trim
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. spring — of water
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. spring — a coil
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. race — the arms race
  19. race — humankind
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — low music
  22. prune — to trim
  23. chip — to eat
  24. calf — a young animal

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