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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: toast · lash · calf · pit · roll · chair · mug · deal

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. mug — a face
  5. pit — in a race
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. chair — a leader
  11. pit — a hole
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. toast — bread
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. mug — a cup
  20. roll — a list
  21. roll — a cake
  22. mug — to rob
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. calf — of the leg

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