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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: mine · suit · racket · straw · mug · lash · season · spring

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. spring — a coil
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. spring — the season
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. mug — to rob
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. season — in sport
  13. mug — a face
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. season — of the year
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mine — for digging
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. mug — a cup
  24. suit — in cards

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