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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. game — wild animals
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bear — the animal
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. snap — to click
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pass — a permit
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. cap — a hat
  20. game — a match
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. cap — of ice
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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