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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: bear · hide · lash · swing · game · can · wind · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bear — the animal
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. swing — in golf
  5. wind — moving air
  6. game — wild animals
  7. swing — music
  8. wind — moving air
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. can — a tin
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. bear — the animal
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. swing — to play on
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. game — a match

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