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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.

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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: lash · present · rock · pass · object · cap · spring · mouse

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. cap — of ice
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. object — an aim
  7. pass — a permit
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. present — a gift
  11. object — to protest
  12. spring — of water
  13. rock — a stone
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rock — music
  16. spring — a coil
  17. present — there
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. spring — the season
  20. present — the time now
  21. object — a thing
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. cap — a lid
  24. mouse — for a computer

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