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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. mark — a grade
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. mine — for digging
  7. bound — certain
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bound — obliged
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. deal — to handle
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pass — a permit
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bound — tied together
  22. vault — a safe
  23. mark — a trace
  24. chip — for betting

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