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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: lash · suit · mouse · bear · mine · ball · race · deal

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. ball — a great time
  6. deal — to handle
  7. suit — to fit
  8. race — a contest
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. suit — in cards
  14. race — the arms race
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. suit — clothes
  20. race — humankind
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ball — a dance
  24. deal — an agreement

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