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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bear — the animal
  3. season — in sport
  4. object — an aim
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. key — in music
  10. season — of the year
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. march — music
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. object — to protest
  15. roll — a list
  16. bear — the animal
  17. march — the month
  18. key — the most important part
  19. roll — a cake
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. march — the month
  22. object — a thing
  23. key — for a lock
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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