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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bear — the animal
  4. land — to come down
  5. land — a country
  6. land — ground
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. tube — a container
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bear — the animal
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bass — the fish
  21. rush — hurry
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bass — low music
  24. ruler — for measuring

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