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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.

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: toast · tube · rash · game · pass · saw · lash · wind

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — a series
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. tube — a container
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. toast — bread
  14. tube — the underground
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. game — a match
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. wind — moving air
  22. game — wild animals
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. lash — to lash out

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