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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: bowl · racket · lash · rest · wind · chip · straw · object

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. rest — a break
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. wind — moving air
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. wind — moving air
  15. object — an aim
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. object — to protest
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. object — a thing
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. rest — what's left
  24. lash — to lash out

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