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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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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: bear · temple · club · lash · snap · straw · leaves · toast

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. bear — the animal
  3. club — for golf
  4. toast — bread
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. club — a group
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. club — for dancing
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. snap — to click

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