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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.

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: track · bear · lash · bore · wound · field · chip · press

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. field — a subject
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. press — to push
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. press — a publisher
  12. field — farmland
  13. field — for sport
  14. track — a song
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. track — to keep track
  17. wound — an injury
  18. track — a path
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. wound — an injury
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bear — the animal

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