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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. club — for golf
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. club — a group
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. stand — to bear
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. club — for dancing
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. chip — to eat
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. pound — a weight

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