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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: land · pop · lash · game · bay · rest · calf · bear

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. rest — a break
  4. game — a match
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. pop — soda
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. land — a country
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rest — what's left
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. land — to come down
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. game — wild animals
  22. land — ground
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — to visit

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