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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: hide · lash · bass · chip · racket · season · calf · spring

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. chip — to eat
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. spring — the season
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. season — of the year
  14. spring — of water
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. season — in sport
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. spring — a coil
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bass — the fish
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bass — low music

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