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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  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. can — a tin
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — of ice
  5. bear — the animal
  6. spring — a coil
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. cap — a hat
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. spring — of water
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. can — to be able to
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. spring — the season
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bank — for money
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bank — of a river
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bear — the animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. bank — for money
  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