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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: rash · wound · season · bowl · chair · bear · stand · lash

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. wound — an injury
  8. chair — a leader
  9. season — of the year
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. rash — hasty
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. wound — an injury
  22. rash — a series
  23. stand — to bear
  24. season — in sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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