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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.

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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: racket · mark · chair · date · fan · toast · bear · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. toast — bread
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — a trace
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. chair — a leader
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. bear — the animal
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. date — the fruit

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