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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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 — a whip stroke
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. tear — to rip
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — electricity
  8. tear — from crying
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bear — the animal
  11. tear — from crying
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. charge — a price
  15. bear — the animal
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. lash — to lash out

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