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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 116 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: club · lash · mug · shower · bear · rock · pitch · season

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. shower — to wash
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. club — for dancing
  9. rock — a stone
  10. pitch — completely
  11. mug — a face
  12. bear — the animal
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. season — in sport
  16. club — a group
  17. rock — music
  18. bear — the animal
  19. season — of the year
  20. mug — to rob
  21. club — for golf
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. mug — a cup
  24. shower — rain

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