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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. row — a line
  3. row — to paddle
  4. march — music
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. march — the month
  8. stand — to bear
  9. lean — to bend
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. march — the month
  13. lean — thin
  14. mate — to breed
  15. season — in sport
  16. mate — a friend
  17. hand — in cards
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. mate — a partner
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. hand — help
  22. season — of the year
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. hand — part of the body

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