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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mug · lash · last · trunk · bear · pass · tear · fan

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. tear — from crying
  6. last — finally
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. tear — to rip
  13. mug — a face
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bear — the animal
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. last — final
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. pass — a permit
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. last — to go on
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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