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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. march — the month
  3. march — music
  4. march — the month
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — in a race
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — a series
  18. pit — a hole
  19. rash — hasty
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. fan — a supporter

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