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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bear — the animal
  3. chip — for betting
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — for digging
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bear — the animal
  9. tear — to rip
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. stand — to bear
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. tear — from crying
  21. chip — to eat
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. tear — from crying

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