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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  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. lean — thin
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. band — a ring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. band — a music group
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. stand — to bear
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. prune — to trim
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bulb — for light
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. lean — to bend
  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