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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: cell · lash · nail · present · season · mug · stand · bowl

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — a phone
  8. season — in sport
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. present — a gift
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. mug — to rob
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. present — the time now
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. season — of the year
  23. mug — a cup
  24. present — there

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