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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rock · march · bear · game · fan · lash · chip · deal

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. chip — for betting
  6. march — the month
  7. deal — to handle
  8. rock — a stone
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. chip — to eat
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. march — the month
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. game — wild animals
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. rock — music
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. march — music

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