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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: hide · stand · pass · mug · lash · chip · land · perch

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. mug — a face
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. land — a country
  7. chip — to eat
  8. land — ground
  9. mug — a cup
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. land — to come down
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. pass — a permit
  17. mug — to rob
  18. stand — to bear
  19. perch — the fish
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. chip — for betting

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