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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: rush · lash · mug · game · can · fall · nail · bear

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. game — a match
  4. can — to be able to
  5. game — wild animals
  6. mug — a face
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. rush — hurry
  10. fall — to drop
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bear — the animal
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. can — a tin
  16. mug — a cup
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. fall — to drop
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bear — the animal
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fall — the season

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