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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · pass · prune · band · face · chip · lash · object

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. face — to point toward
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. pass — a permit
  7. face — to confront
  8. bear — the animal
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. band — a music group
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. object — an aim
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. bear — the animal
  16. object — a thing
  17. prune — to trim
  18. object — to protest
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. chip — to eat
  22. face — part of the head
  23. band — a ring
  24. pass — to succeed

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