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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. hand — in cards
  3. staff — employees
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bulb — for light
  9. staff — a stick
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — to bear
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. pass — a permit
  14. press — to push
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. spring — of water
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bulb — for light
  20. staff — employees
  21. spring — the season
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. press — a publisher
  24. spring — a coil

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