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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: chest · stand · club · pit · bound · lash · mug · bay

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. club — for dancing
  3. club — a group
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. chest — a box
  6. mug — a face
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bound — obliged
  13. chest — of your body
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. club — for golf
  16. mug — to rob
  17. chest — of your body
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bound — tied together
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bound — certain
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. pit — in a race
  24. stand — to bear

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