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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: row · season · cap · bear · game · fine · lash · staff

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. game — wild animals
  3. season — in sport
  4. season — of the year
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. staff — a stick
  10. row — to paddle
  11. game — a match
  12. cap — a lid
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. row — a line
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. fine — high quality
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. fine — all right
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a hat
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. staff — employees

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