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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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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: fan · staff · pop · kick · bowl · lash · mate · cap

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. cap — of ice
  3. mate — a friend
  4. pop — music
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. staff — employees
  9. pop — soda
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. staff — employees
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. cap — a hat
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mate — a partner
  20. kick — in football
  21. cap — a lid
  22. pop — to visit
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. mate — to breed

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