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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. race — humankind
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. race — a contest
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chest — of your body
  9. toast — bread
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. snap — to click
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. chest — a box
  16. race — the arms race
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chest — of your body
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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